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CHRONIC   DISEASES^ 

THEIR  PECULIAR  NATURE 

AND 

THEIR  HOMEOPATHIC  CURE. 

(THEORBTICAL  PART  ONLY  IN  THIS  VOLUME.) 

DR.  SAMUEL  HAHNEMANN. 


TRANSLATED   FROM  THE  SECOND   ENLARGED   GERMAN   EDITION 
OF  1835,  BY 

PROF.  IvOUIS  H.  TAFEL. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

BOERICKE  &  TAFEL. 
1904. 


nO  \  ^^.^;Sl^i^  .  , 


0-n^u'r  ^'^  :M/iioir> 


COPYRIGHTED  BY 

BOERICKE  &  TAFEL. 
1904. 


PRINTED    BY 

T.  B.  &  H.  B.  COCHRAN, 

LANCASTER,    PA. 


N?^4~ 


CONTENTS. 


PUBLISHER'S  PREFACE 5 

AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 7 

NATURE  OF  CHRONIC  DISEASES 21 

Sycosis ^49 

Syphiws '53 

Psora ^^7 

THE   MEDICINES 242 


3xn 


PUBLISHERS'  PREFACE. 


This  volume,  which  contains  the  theoretical  part  of 
Hahnemann's  Chronic  Diseases,  has  been  issued  at 
the  urgent  request  of  several  Professors  in  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  Colleges,  who  wish  to  use  it  as  a  col- 
lege text  book.  It  is  to  be  hoped,  too,  that  the  pro- 
fession at  large  will  appreciate  this  volume,  which  in 
the  opinion  of  many  ranks  in  importance  with  the 
Organon. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


TO  THE  FIRST  EDITION— 1828. 


If  I  did  not  know  for  what  purpose  I  was  put  here 
on  earth — to  become  better  myself  as  far  as  possible 
and  to  make  better  everything  around  me  that  is  with- 
in my  power  to  improve — I  should  have  to  consider 
myself  as  lacking  very  much  in  worldly  prudence  to 
make  known  for  the  common  good,  even  before  my 
death,  an  art  which  I  alone  possess,  and  which  it  is 
within  my  power  to  make  as  profitable  as  possible  by 
simply  keeping  it  secret. 

But  in  communicating  to  the  world  this  great  dis- 
covery I  am  sorry  that  I  must  doubt  whether  my  con- 
temporaries will  comprehend  the  logical  sequence  of 
these  teachings  of  mine,  and  will  follow  them  carefully 
and  gain  thereby  the  infinite  benefits  for  suffering  hu- 
manity which  must  inevitably  spring  from  a  faithful 
and  accurate  observance  of  the  same,  or  whether, 
frightened  away  by  the  unheard  of  nature  of  many  of 
these  disclosures,  they  will  not  rather  leave  them  un- 
tried and  uninitiated  and,  therefore,  useless. 

At  least  I  cannot  hope  that  these  important  com- 
munications will  fare  better  than  the  general  Homoe- 
opathy, which  I  have  published  hitherto.  From  unbe- 
lief in  the  efficacy  of  the  small  and  attenuated  doses  of 
medicine,  which  I  made  known  to  the  medical  world 


8  author's  preface. 

after  a  thousand  warning  trials,  as  being  the  most  effi- 
cient (distrusting  my  faithful  asseverations  and  rea- 
sons), men  prefer  to  endanger  their  patients  for  years 
longer  with  large  and  larger  doses.  Owing  to  this, 
they  generally  do  not  live  to  see  the  curative  effects, 
even  as  was  the  case  with  myself  before  I  attained  this 
diminution  of  dose.  The  cause  of  this  was  that  it  was 
overlooked  that  these  doses  by  their  attenuation  were 
all  the  more  suitable  for  their  homoeopathic  use  owing 
to  the  development  of  their  dynamic  power  of  opera- 
tion. 

What  would  men  have  risked  if  they  had  at  once 
followed  my  directions  in  the  beginning,  and  had  made 
use  of  just  these  small  doses  from  the  first.'  Could 
anything  worse  have  happened  than  that  these  doses 
might  have  proved  inefficient .''  They  surely  could  do 
no  harm!  But  in  their  injudicious,  self-willed  applica- 
tion of  large  doses  for  homoeopathic  use  they  only,  in 
fact  only  once  again,  went  over  that  roundabout  road 
so  dangerous  to  their  patients  in  order  to  reach  the 
truth,  which  I  myself  had  already  successfully  passed 
over,  and  indeed  with  trembling,  so  as  to  save  them 
this  trouble;  and  if  they  really  desired  to  heal,  they 
were  nevertheless  at  last  compelled  to  arrive  at  the 
only  true  goal,  after  having  inflicted  many  an  injury 
and  wasted  a  good  part  of  their  fair  life.  All  this  I 
had  already  laid  before  them  faithfully  and  frankly, 
and  had  long  before  given  them  the  reasons. 

May  they  do  better  with  the  great  discovery  here- 
with presented  to  them!  And  if  they  should  not  treat 
this  discovery  any  better — well,  then  a  more  conscien- 
tious and  intelligent  posterity  will  alone  have  the  ad- 


author's  preface.  9 

vantage  to  be  obtained  by  a  faithful,  punctual  observ- 
ance of  the  teachings  here  laid  down,  of  being  able  to 
deliver  mankind  from  the  numberless  torments  which 
have  rested  upon  the  poor  sick  owing  to  the  number- 
less, tedious  diseases,  even  as  far  back  as  history  ex- 
tends. This  great  boon  had  not  been  put  within  their 
reach  by  what  Homoeopathy  had  taught  hitherto. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FOURTH  VOLUME.* 


INQUIRY  INTO  THE  PROCESS  OF 
HOMOEOPATHIC  HEALING. 

We  have  no  means  of  reaching  with  our  senses  or  of 
gaining  essential  knowledge  as  to  the  process  of  life  in 
the  interior  of  man,  and  it  is  only  at  times  granted  us 
to  draw  speculative  conclusions  from  what  is  happen- 
ing as  to  the  manner  in  which  it  may  have  occurred 
or  taken  place;  but  we  are  unable  to  furnish  conclusive 
proofs  of  our  explanations  from  the  changes  which  are 
observed  in  the  organic  kingdom;  for  the  changes  in 
living  organic  subjects  have  nothing  in  common  with 
those  taking  place  in  what  is  organic,  since  they  take 
place  by  processes  entirely  different. 

It  is,  therefore,  quite  natural  that  in  presenting  the 
Homoeopathic  Therapeutics  I  did  not  venture  to  ex- 
plain how  the  cure  of  diseases  is  effected  by  operating 
on  the  patient  with  substances  possessing  the  power 
to  excite  very  similar  morbid  symptoms  in  healthy  per- 
sons. I  furnished,  indeed,  a  conjecture  about  it,  but  I 
did  not  desire  to  call  it  an  explanation,  /.  e.,  a  definite 
explanation  of  the  modus  operandi.     Nor  was  this  at 

*The  work  on  the  "Chronic  Diseases"  was  originally  published 
in  five  parts,  and  every  part,  except  the  second,  had  its  own  pre- 
face, discussing  some  questions  of  general  interest  to  Homoeop- 
athy.—  Transl. 


12  author's  preface. 

all  necessar}',  for  it  is  only  incumbent  upon  us  to  cure 
similar  symptoms  correctly  and  successfully,  according 
to  a  law  of  nature  which  is  being  constantly  confirmed; 
but  not  to  boast  with  abstract  explanations,  while  we 
leave  the  patients  uncured,  for  that  is  all  which  so- 
called  physicians  have  accomplished. 

These  physicians  have  made  many  objections  to  the 
explanation  I  have  given,  and  they  would  have  pre- 
ferred to  reject  the  whole  homoeopathic  method  of  cur- 
ing (the  only  one  possible)  merely  because  the}'  were 
not  satisfied  with  my  efforts  at  explaining  the  mode  of 
procedure  which  takes  place  in  the  interiors  of  man 
during  a  homoeopathic  cure. 

I  write  the  present  lines,  not  in  order  to  satisfy  those 
critics,  but  in  order  that  I  may  present  to  myself  and 
to  m}'  successors,  the  genuine  practical  Homoeopaths, 
another  and  more  probable  attempt  of  this  kind  toward 
an  explanation.  This  I  present  because  the  human 
mind  feels  within  it  the  irresistible,  harmless  and 
praiseworthy  impulse  to  give  some  account  to  itself  as 
to  the  mode  in  which  man  accomplishes  good  by  his 
actions. 

As  I  have  elsewhere  shown,  it  is  undeniable  that  our 
vital  force,  without  the  assistance  of  active  remedies 
of  human  art,  cannot  overcome  even  the  slight  acute 
diseases  (if  it  does  not  succumb  to  them)  and  restore 
some  sort  of  health  without  sacrificing  a  part  (often  a 
large  part)  of  the  fluid  and  the  solid  parts  of  the  or- 
ganism through  a  so-called  crisis.  How  our  vital  force 
effects  this,  will  ever  remain  unknown  to  us;  but  so 
much  is  sure,  that  this  force  cannot  overcome  even 
these  diseases  in  a  direct  manner,  nor  without  such 


author's  preface.  13 

sacrifices.  The  Chronic  Diseases,  which  spring  from 
miasms,  cannot  be  healed  unaided,  even  by  such  sacri- 
fices, nor  can  real  health  be  restored  by  this  force 
alone.  But  it  is  just  as  certain  that  even  if  this  force 
is  enabled  by  the  true  (homoeopathic)  healing  art, 
guided  by  the  human  understanding,  to  overpower  and 
overcome  (to  cure)  not  only  the  quickly  transient,  but 
also  the  chronic  diseases  arising  from  miasms  in  a  di- 
rect manner  and  without  such  sacrifices,  without  loss 
of  body  and  life,  nevertheless,  it  is  always  this  power, 
the  vital  force,  which  conquers.  It  is  in  this  case  as 
with  the  army  of  a  country,  which  drives  the  enemy 
out  of  the  country;  this  army  ought  to  be  called  victor- 
ious, although  it  may  not  have  won  the  victory  without 
foreign  auxiliaries.  It  is  the  organic  vital  force  of  our 
body  which  cures  natural  diseases  of  every  kind  di- 
rectly and  without  any  sacrifices  as  soon  as  it  is  en- 
abled by  means  of  the  correct  (homoeopathic)  rem- 
edies to  win  the  victory.  This  force  would  not,  in- 
deed, have  been  able  to  conquer  without  this  assist- 
ance, for  our  organic  vital  force,  taken  alone,  is  only 
sufficient  to  maintain  the  unimpeded  progress  of  life  so 
long  as  man  is  not  morbidly  affected  by  the  hostile  op- 
eration of  forces  causing  disease. 

Unassisted,  the  vital  force  is  no  match  to  these  hos- 
tile powers;  it  hardly  opposes  a  force  equal  to  the 
hostile  operation,  and  this,  indeed,  with  many  signs  of 
its  own  sufferings  (which  we  call  morbid  symptoms). 
By  its  own  power  our  vital  force  would  never  be  able 
to  overcome  the  foe  of  chronic  disease,  nor  even  to 
conquer  transient  diseases,  without  considerable  losses 
inflicted  on  some  parts  of  the  organism,  if  it  remained 


14  author's  preface. 

without  external  aid,  without  the  assistance  of  genuine 
remedies.  To  give  such  support  is  the  duty  enjoined 
on  the  physician's  understanding  by  the  Preserver  of 
life. 

As  I  have  said  above,  our  vital  force  hardly  opposes 
an  equal  opposition  to  the  foe  causing  the  disease,  and 
yet  no  enemy  can  be  overcome  except  by  a  superior 
force.  Only  homoeopathic  medicine  can  give  this 
superior  power  to  the  invalidated  vital  force. 

Of  itself  this  vital  principle,  being  only  an  organic 
vital  force  intended  to  preserve  an  undisturbed  health, 
opposes  only  a  weak  resistance  to  the  invading  mor- 
bific enemy;  as  the  disease  grows  and  increases  it  op- 
poses a  greater  resistance,  but,  at  best,  it  is  only  an 
equal  resistance;  with  weakly  patients  it  is  not  even 
equal,  but  weaker.  This  force  is  neither  capable,  nor 
destined,  nor  created  for  an  overpowering  resistance, 
which  will  do  no  harm  to  itself. 

But  if  we  physicians  are  able  to  present  and  oppose 
to  this  instinctive  vital  force  its  morbific  enemy,  as  it 
were  magnified  through  the  action  of  homoeopathic 
medicines — even  if  it  should  be  enlarged  every  time 
only  by  a  little — if  in  this  way  the  image  of  the  mor- 
bific foe  be  magnified  to  the  apprehension  of  the  vital 
principle  through  homoeopathic  medicines,  which,  in  a 
delusive  manner,  simulate  the  original  disease,  we 
gradually  cause  and  compel  this  instinctive  vital  force 
to  increase  its  energies  by  degrees,  and  to  increase 
them  more  and  more,  and  at  last  to  such  a  degree  that 
it  becomes  far  more  powerful  than  the  original  disease. 
The  consequence  of  this  is,  that  the  vital  force  again 
becomes  sovereign  in  its  domain,  can  again  hold  and 


author's  preface.  15 

direct  the  reins  of  sanitary  progress,  while  the  appar- 
ent increase  of  the  disease  caused  by  homoeopathic 
medicines  disappears  of  itself  as  soon  as  we,  seeing  the 
preponderance  of  the  restored  vital  force,  /".  e.,  of  the 
restored  health,  cease  to  use  these  remedies. 

The  fund  or  the  fundamental  essence  of  this  spirit- 
ual vital  principle,  imparted  to  us  men  by  the  infinitely 
merciful  Creator,  is  incredibly  great,  if  we  physicians 
understand  how  to  maintain  its  integrity  in  the  days  of 
health,  by  directing  men  to  a  healthy  mode  of  living, 
and  how  to  invoke  and  augment  it  in  diseases  by  purely 
homoeopathic  treatment. 


PREFACE  TO  FIFTH  VOLUME. 


DILUTIONS  AND  POTENCIES  (DYNAMIZA- 
TIONS). 

Dilutions,  properly  so-called,  exist  almost  solely  in 
objects  of  taste  and  of  color.  A  solution  of  salty  and 
bitter  substances  becomes  continually  more  deprived 
of  its  taste  the  more  water  is  added,  and  eventually  it 
has  hardly  any  taste,  no  matter  how  much  it  may  be 
shaken.  So,  also,  a  solution  of  coloring  matter,  by  the 
admixture  of  more  and  more  water,  becomes  at  last 
almost  colorless,  and  any  amount  of  shaking  will  not 
increase  its  color. 

These  are,  and  continue  to  be,  real  attenuations  or 
dilutions,  but  no  dynamizations. 

Homoeopathic  Dynamizations  are  processes  by  which 
the  medicinal  properties,  which  are  latent  in  natural 
substances  while  in  their  crude  state,  become  aroused, 
and  then  become  enabled  to  act  in  an  almost  spiritual 
manner  on  our  life;  /.  e.,  on  our  sensible  and  irritable 
fibre.  This  development  of  the  properties  of  crude 
natural  substances  (dynamization)  takes  place,  as  I 
have  before  taught,  in  the  case  of  dry  substances  by 
means  of  trituration  in  a  mortar,  but  in  the  case  of 
fluid  substances,  by  means  of  shaking  or  succussion, 
which  is  also  a  trituration.  These  preparations  can- 
not be  simply  designated  as  dilutions,  although  every 
preparation  of  this  kind,  in  order  that  it  may  be  raised 


18  author's  preface. 

to  a  higher  potency,  /.  i\,  in  order  that  the  medicinal 
properties  still  latent  within  it  may  be  yet  farther 
awakened  and  developed,  must  first  undergo  a  further 
attenuation,  in  order  that  the  trituration  or  succussion 
may  enter  still  further  into  the  very  essence  of  the 
medicinal  substance,  and  may  thus  also  liberate  and 
expose  the  more  subtle  part  of  the  medicinal  powers 
that  lie  hidden  more  deeply,  which  could  not  be 
effected  by  any  amount  of  trituration  and  succussion  of 
the  substances  in  their  concentrated  form. 

We  frequently  read  in  homoeopathic  books  that,  in 
the  case  of  one  or  another  person  in  a  certain  case  of 
disease,  some  high  (dilution)  dynamization  of  a  medi- 
cine was  of  no  use  at  all,  but  a  lower  potency  proved 
effectual,  while  others  have  seen  more  success  from 
higher  potencies.  But  no  one  in  such  cases  investi- 
gates the  cause  of  the  great  difference  of  these  effects. 
What  prevents  the  preparer  of  the  medicines  (and 
this  ought  to  be  the  homoeopathic  phjsician  himself; 
he  himself  ought  to  forge  and  whet  the  arms  with 
which  to  fight  the  disease) — what  prevents  him,  in  pre- 
paring a  potency,  from  giving  10,  20.  50  and  more  suc- 
cussive  strokes  against  a  somewhat  hard,  elastic  body 
to  every  vial  containing  one  drop  of  the  lower  potency 
with  99  drops  of  alcohol,  so  as  to  obtain  strong  po-r 
tencies  }  This  would  be  vastly  more  effective  than 
giving  only  a  few  nerveless  succussive  strokes,  which 
will  produce  little  more  than  dilutions,  which  ought 
not  to  be  the  case. 

The  perfection  of  our  unique  art  of  healing  and  the 
welfare  of  the  patients  seem  to  make  it  worth  whil^ 
for  the  physician  to  take  the  trouble  necessary  to 
secure  the  utmost  efficiency  in  his  medicines. 


author's  preface.  19 

Modern  wiseacres  have  even  sneered  at  the  30th  po- 
tency, and  would  only  use  the  lower,  less  developed 
and  more  massive  preparations  in  larger  doses,  where- 
by they  have  been,  however,  unable  to  effect  all  that 
our  art  can  accomplish.  If,  however,  every  potency 
is  dynamized  with  the  same  number  of  succussive 
strokes,  we  obtain,  even  in  the  fiftieth  potency,  medi- 
cines of  the  most  penetrating  efficacy,  so  that  every 
minute  pellet  moistened  with  it.  after  being  dissolved 
in  a  quantity  of  water,  can  and  must  be  taken  in  small 
parts,  if  we  do  not  wish  to  produce  too  violent  an 
action  with  sensitive  patients,  while  we  must  remem- 
ber that  such  a  preparation  contains  almost  all  the 
properties  latent  in  the  drug  now  fully  developed,  and 
these  can  only  then  come  into  full  activity. 

Paris,  December  19th,  1838. 


Nature  of  Chronic  Diseases. 


The  Homoeopathic  heaHng  art,  as  taught  in  my  own 
writings  and  in  those  of  my  pupils,  when  faithfully 
followed,  has  hitherto  shown  its  natural  superiority 
over  any  allopathic  treatment  in  a  very  decided  and 
striking  manner  ;  and  this  not  only  in  those  diseases 
which  suddenly  attack  men  (the  acute  diseases),  but 
also  in  epidemic  diseases  and  in  sporadic  fevers. 

Venereal  diseases  also  have  been  radically  healed 
by  Homoeopathy  much  more  surely,  with  less  trouble 
and  without  any  sequelae  ;  for  without  disturbing  or 
destroying  the  local  manifestation  it  heals  the  internal 
fundamental  disease  from  within  only,  through  the 
best  specific  remedy.  But  the  number  of  the  other 
chronic  diseases  on  this  great  earth  has  been  immeas- 
urably greater,  and  remains  so. 

Treatment  by  allopathic  physicians  hitherto  merely 
served  to  increase  the  distress  from  this  kind  of  dis- 
ease ;  for  this  treatment  consisted  of  a  whole  multi- 
tude of  nauseous  mixtures  (compounded  b}'  the  drug- 
gist from  violently  acting  medicines  in  large  doses,  of 
whose  separate  true  effects  they  were  ignorant),  to- 
gether with  the  use  of  manifold  baths,  the  sudorific 
and  salivating  remedies,  the  pain-killing  narcotics,  the 
injections,  fomentations,  fumigations,  the  blistering 
plasters,  the  exutories  sind  fontanels,  but  especially 
the  everlasting  laxatives,  leeches,  cuppings  and  starv- 


22  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

ing  treatments,  or  whatever  names  may  be  given  to 
all  these  medicinal  torments,  which  continually  varied 
like  the  fashions.  By  these  means  the  disease  was 
either  aggravated  and  the  vital  force,  spite  of  so-called 
tonics  used  at  intervals,  was  more  and  more  dimin- 
ished ;  or,  if  any  striking  change  was  produced  by 
them,  instead  of  the  former  sufferings,  there  appeared 
a  worse  state — nameless  diseases  caused  by  medi- 
cine, far  worse  and  more  incurable  than  the  original 
natural  one — while  the  physician  consoled  the  pa- 
tient with  the  words  :  "The  former  sickness  I  have 
been  fortunate  enough  to  remove  ;  it  is  a  great  pity 
that  a  new  (.■')  disease  has  appeared,  but  I  hope  to  be 
as  successful  in  removing  this  latter  as  in  the  former." 
And  so,  while  tJie  same  disease  assumed  various  forms , 
and  while  new  diseases  were  being  added  by  the  use 
of  improper,  injurious  medicines,  the  sufferings  of  the 
patient  were  continually  aggravated  until  his  pitiable 
lamentations  were  hushed  forever  with  his  dying 
breath,  and  the  relatives  were  soothed  with  the  com- 
forting pretense  :  "Everything  imaginable  had  been 
used  and  applied  in  the  case  of  the  deceased." 

It  is  not  so  with  Homceopathy,  the  great  gift  of 
God! 

Even  in  these  other  kinds  of  chronic  diseases,  its 
disciples,  by  following  the  teachings  presented  in  my 
former  writings  and  my  former  oral  lectures,  accom- 
plished far  more  than  all  the  afore-mentioned  methods 
of  curing,  /.  e.,  when  they  found  the  patient  not  too 
much  run  down  and  spoiled  by  allopathic  treatment, 
as  was  unfortunately  too  often  the  case  where  the 
patient  had  any  money  to  spend. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  23 

Using  the  more  natural  treatment,  Homoeopathic 
physicians  have  frequently  been  able  in  a  short  time 
to  remove  the  chronic  disease  which  they  had  before 
them,  after  examining  it  according  to  all  the  symp- 
toms perceptible  to  the  senses ;  and  the  means  of  cure 
were  the  most  suitable  among  the  Homoeopathic  rem- 
edies, used  in  their  smallest  doses  which  had  been  so  far 
proved  as  to  their  pure,  true  effects.  And  all  this  was 
done  without  robbing  the  patient  of  his  fluids  and 
strength,  as  is  done  by  the  allopathy  of  the  common 
physicians ;  so  that  the  patient,  fully  healed,  could 
again  enjoy  gladsome  days.  These  cures  indeed  have 
far  excelled  all  that  allopathists  had  ever — in  rare 
cases — been  able  to  effect  by  a  lucky  grab  into  their 
medicine  chests. 

The  complaints  yielded  for  the  most  part  to  very 
small  doses  of  that  remedy  which  had  proved  its  abil- 
ity to  produce  the  same  series  of  morbid  symptoms  in 
the  healthy  body  ;  and,  if  the  disfease  was  not  alto- 
gether too  inveterate  and  had  not  been  too  much  and 
in  too  great  a  degree  mismanaged  by  allopathy,  it  often 
yielded  for  a  considerable  time,  so  that  mankind  had 
good  reason  to  deem  itself  fortunate  even  for  that 
much  help,  and,  indeed,  it  often  proclaimed  its  thank- 
fulness. A  patient  thus  treated  might  and  often  did 
consider  himself  in  pretty  good  health,  when  he  fairly 
judged  of  his  present  improved  state  and  compared  it 
with  his  far  more  painful  condition  before  Homoeop- 
athy had  afforded  him  its  help.* 

*  Of  this  kind  were  the  cures  of  diseases  caused  by  a  psora  not 
yet  fully  developed,  which  had  been  treated  by  my  followers  with 
remedies  which   did   not  belong  to  the  number  of  those  which, 


24  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Even  some  gross  errors  of  diet,  taking  cold,  the 
appearance  of  weather  especially  rough,  wet  and  cold 
or  stormy,  or  even  the  approach  of  autumn,  if  ever  so 
mild,  but,  more  yet,  winter  and  a  wintry  spring,  and 
then  some  violent  exertion  of  the  body  or  mind,  but 
particularly  some  shock  to  the  health  caused  by  some 
severe  external  injury,  or  a  very  sad  event  that  bowed 
down  the  soul,  repeated  fright,  great  grief,  sorrow  and 
continuous  vexation,  often  caused  in  a  weakened  body 
the  re-appearance  of  one  or  more  of  the  ailments 
which  seemed  to  have  been  already  overcome  ;  and 
this  new  condition  was  often  aggravated  by  some 
quite  new  concomitants,  which  if  not  more  threaten- 
ing than  the  former  ones  which  had  been  removed 
homoeopathically  were  often  just  as  troublesome  and 
now  more  obstinate.  This  would  be  especially  the 
case  whenever  the  seemingly  cured  disease  had  for  its 
foundation  a  psora  which  had  been  more  fully  devel- 
oped. When  such  a  relapse  would  take  place  the 
Homoeopathic  physician  would  give  the  remedy  most 
fitting  among  the  medicines  then  known,  as  if  directed 


later,  proved  to  be  the  chief  auti-psora  remedies  ;  because  these 
remedies  were  not  yet  known.  They  had  been  merely  treated 
with  such  medicines  as  Homoeopathically  best  covered  and  tempo- 
rarily removed  the  then  apparent  moderate  symptoms,  thus  caus- 
ing a  kind  of  a  cure  which  brought  back  the  manifest  psora  into  a 
latent  condition  and  thus  produced  a  kind  of  healthy  condition, 
especially  with  young,  vigorous  persons,  such  as  would  appear  as 
real  health  to  every  observer  who  did  not  examine  accurately  ; 
and  this  state  often  lasted  for  many  years.  But  with  chronic  dis- 
eases caused  by  a  psora  already  fully  developed,  the  medicines 
which  were  then  known  never  sufficed  for  a  complete  cure,  any 
more  than  these  same  medicines  suffice  at  the  present  time. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  25 

against  a  new  disease,  and  this  would  again  be  at- 
tended by  pretty  good  success,  which  for  the  time 
would  again  bring  the  patient  into  a  better  state.  In 
the  former  case,  however,  in  which  merely  the  trou- 
bles which  seemed  to  have  been  removed  were  re- 
newed, the  remedy  which  had  been  serviceable  the 
first  time  would  prove  less  useful,  and  when  repeated 
again  it  would  help  still  less.  Then  perhaps,  even 
under  the  operation  of  the  Homoeopathic  remedy 
which  seemed  best  adapted,  and  even  where  the  mode 
of  living  had  been  quite  correct,  new  symptoms  of  dis- 
ease would  be  added  which  could  be  removed  only 
inadequately  and  imperfectly  ;  yea,  these  new  symp- 
toms were  at  times  not  at  all  improved,  especially 
when  some  of  the  obstacles  above  mentioned  hindered 
the  recovery. 

Some  joyous  occurrence,  or  an  external  condition  of 
circumstances  improved  by  fortune,  a  pleasant  jour- 
ney, a  favorable  season  or  a  dry,  uniform  temperature, 
might  occasionally  produce  a  remarkable  pause  of 
shorter  or  longer  duration  in  the  disease  of  the  patient, 
during  which  the  Homoeopath  might  consider  him  as 
fairly  recovered  ;  and  the  patient  himself,  if  he  good- 
naturedly  overlooked  some  passable  moderate  ail- 
ments, might  consider  himself  as  healthy.  Still  such 
a  favorable  pause  would  never  be  of  long  duration, 
and  the  return  and  repeated  returns  of  the  com- 
plaints in  the  end  left  even  the  best  selected  Homoeo- 
pathic remedies  then  known,  and  given  in  the 
most  appropriate  doses,  the  less  effective  the  oftener 
they  were  repeated.  They  served  at  last  hardly  even 
as  weak  palliatives.  But  usually,  after  repeated  at- 
3 


26  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

tempts  to  conquer  the  disease  which  appeared  in  a 
form  always  somewhat  changed,  residual  complaints 
appeared  which  the  Homoeopathic  medicines  hitherto 
proved,  though  not  few,  had  to  leave  uneradicated, 
yea,  often  undiminished.  Thus  there  ever  followed 
varying  complaints  ever  more  troublesome,  and  as 
time  proceeded,  more  threatening,  and  this  even  while 
the  mode  of  living  was  correct  and  with  a  punctual 
observance  of  directions.  The  chronic  disease  could, 
despite  all  efforts,  be  but  little  delaj'ed  in  its  progress 
by  the  Homoeopathic  physician  and  grew  worse  from 
year  to  year. 

This  was,  and  remained,  the  quicker  or  slower  pro- 
cess in  such  treatments  in  all  non-venereal,  severe 
chronic  diseases,  even  when  these  were  treated  in 
exact  accordance  with  the  Homoeopathic  art  as  hith- 
erto known.  Their  beginning  was  promising,  the  con- 
tinuation less  favorable,  the  outcome  hopeless. 

Nevertheless  this  teaching  was  founded  upon  the 
steadfast  pillar  of  truth  and  zvill  evermore  be  so.  The 
attestation  of  its  excellence,  yea,  of  its  infallibiHty  (so 
far  as  this  can  be  predicted  of  human  affairs),  it  has 
laid  before  the  eyes  of  the  world  through  facts. 

Homoeopathy  alone  taught  first  of  all  how  to  heal 
the  well-defined  idiopathic  diseases,  the  old,  smooth 
scarlet  fever  of  Sydenham,  the  more  recent  purples, 
whooping  cough,  croup,  sycosis,  and  autumnal  dysen- 
teries, by  means  of  the  specifically  aiding  Homoeo- 
pathic remedies.  Even  acute  pleurisy,  and  typhous 
contagious  epidemics  must  now  allow  themselves  to 
be  speedily  turned  into  health  by  a  few  small  doses  of 
rightly-selected  Homoeopathic  medicine. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  27 

Whence  then  this  less  favorable,  this  unfavorable, 
result  of  the  continued  treatment  of  the  non-venereal 
chronic  diseases  even  by  Homoeopathy?  What  was 
the  reason  of  the  thousands  of  unsuccessful  endeavors 
to  heal  the  other  diseases  of  a  chronic  nature  so  that 
lasting  health  might  result  ?  Might  this  be  caused, 
perhaps,  by  the  still  too  small  number  of  Homoeo- 
pathic remedial  means  that  have  so  far  been  proved 
as  to  their  pure  action?  The  followers  of  Homoeo- 
pathy have  hitherto  thus  consoled  themselves  ;  but 
this  excuse,  or  so-called  consolation,  never  satisfied 
the  founder  of  Homoeopathy — particularly  because 
even  the  new  additions  of  proved  valuable  medicines, 
increasing  from  year  to  year,  have  not  advanced  the 
healing  of  chronic  (non-venereal)  diseases  by  a  single 
step,  while  acute  diseases  (unless  these,  at  their  com- 
mencement, threaten  unavoidable  death)  are  not  only 
passably  removed,  by  means  of  a  correct  application - 
of  Homoeopathic  remedies,  but  with  the  assistance  of 
the  never-resting,  preservative  vital  force  in  our  organ- 
ism, find  a  speedy  and  complete  cure. 

Why,  then,  cannot  this  vital  force,  efficiently  af- 
fected through  Homoeopathic  medicine,  produce  any 
true  and  lasting  recovery  in  these  chronic  maladies 
even  with  the  aid  of  the  Homoeopathic  remedies  which 
best  cover  their  present  symptoms  ;  while  this  same 
force  which  is  created  for  the  restoration  of  our  organ- 
ism is  nevertheless  so  indefatigably  and  successfully 
active  in  completing  the  recovery  even  in  severe  acute 
diseases  ?     What  is  there  to  prevent  this  ? 

The  answer  to  this  question,  which  is  so  natural, 
inevitably  led  me  to  the  discovery  of  the  nature  of 
these  chronic  diseases. 


28  HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES. 

To  find  out  then  the  reason  why  all  the  medicines 
known  to  Homoeopathy  failed  to  bring  a  real  cure  in 
the  above-mentioned  diseases,  and  to  gain  an  insight 
more  nearly  correct  and,  if  possible,  quite  correct, 
into  the  true  nature  of  the  thousands  of  chronic  dis- 
eases which  still  remain  uncured,  despite  the  incon- 
testable truth  of  the  Homoeopathic  Law  of  Cure,  this 
very  serious  task  has  occupied  me  since  the  years  1816 
and  1817,  night  and  day  ;  and  behold  !  the  Giver  of 
all  good  things  permitted  me  within  this  space  of  time 
to  gradually  solve  this  sublime  problem  through  unre- 
mitting thought,  indefatigable  inquiry,  faithful  obser- 
vation and  the  most  accurate  experiments  made  for 
the  welfare  of  humanity.* 

It  was  a  continually  repeated  fact  that  the  non- 
venereal  chronic  diseases,  after  being  time  and  again 
removed  Homoeopathically  by  the  remedies  fully  proved 
up  to  the  present  time,  always  returned  in  a  more  or 
less  varied  form  and  with  new  symptoms,  or  reap- 
peared annually  with  an  increase  of  complaints.     This 

*  Yet  I  did  not  allow  any  of  these  unintermitted  endeavors  to 
become  known  either  to  the  world  or  to  my  followers,  not,  indeed, 
because  the  ingratitude  so  frequenth-  shown  to  me  prevented  me, 
for  I  heed  neither  ingratitude  nor  persecutions  on  my  troublous 
path  of  life,  which  yet  has  not  proved  altogether  joyless,  because 
of  the  great  goal  toward  which  I  have  striven.  No,  I  left  it  un- 
mentioned  because  it  is  improper,  yea,  hurtful  to  speak  or  write 
of  things  still  imm  iture.  Not  until  the  year  1827  did  I  communi- 
cate the  essentials  of  the  discovery  to  two  of  my  pupils,  who  had 
been  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  art  of  Homoeopathy,  for  their 
own  benefit  and  that  of  their  patients,  so  that  the  whole  discovery 
might  not  be  lost  to  the  world  if  i)erchance  a  higher  call  to  eternity 
had  called  me  away  before  the  completion  of  the  book — an  event 
not  so  very  improbable  in  my  seventy-third  year. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  29 

fact  gave  me  the  first  clew  that  the  Homoeopathic 
physician  with  such  a  chronic  (non-venereal)  case, 
yea,  in  all  cases  of  (non-venereal)  chronic  disease,  has 
not  only  to  combat  the  disease  presented  before  his 
eyes,  and  must  not  view  and  treat  it  as  if  it  were  a 
well-defined  disease,  to  be  speedily  and  permanently 
destroyed  and  healed  by  ordinary  Homoeopathic  reme- 
dies, but  that  he  has  always  to  encounter  only  some 
separate  fragment  of  a  more  deep-seated  original  dis- 
ease. 

The  great  extent  of  this  disease  is  shown  in  the  new 
symptoms  appearing  from  time  to  time  ;  so  that  the 
Homoeopathic  physician  must  not  hope  to  perma- 
nently heal  the  separate  manifestations  of  this  kind  in 
the  presumption,  hitherto  entertained,  that  they  are 
well-defined,  separately  existing  diseases  which  can  be 
healed  permanently  and  completely.  He,  therefore, 
must  first  find  out  as  far  as  possible  the  whole  extent 
of  all  the  accidents  and  symptoms  belonging  to  the 
unknoivn  primitive  malady  before  he  can  hope  to  dis- 
cover one  or  more  medicines  which  may  Homoeopath- 
ically  cover  the  whole  of  the  original  disease  by  means 
of  its  peculiar  symptoms.  By  this  method  he  may 
then  be  able  victoriously  to  heal  and  wipe  out  the 
malady  in  its  whole  extent,  consequently  also  its  sepa- 
rate members  ;  that  is,  all  the  fragments  of  a  disease 
appearing  in  so  many  various  forms. 

But  that  the  original  malady  sought  for  must  be 
also  of  a  miasmatic,  chronic  nature  clearly  appeared 
to  me  from  this  circumstance,  that  after  it  has  once 
advanced  and  developed  to  a  certain  degree  it  can 
never  be  removed  by  the  strength  of  any  robust  con- 


30  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

stitution,  it  can  never  be  overcome  by  the  most  whole- 
some diet  and  order  of  life,  nor  will  it  die  out  of  itself. 
But  it  is  evermore  aggravated,  from  N'ear  to  year, 
through  a  transition  into  other  and  more  serious  symp- 
toms,* even  till  the  end  of  man's  life,  like  every  other 
chronic,  miasmatic  sickness,  e.  g.,  the  venereal  bubo 
which  has  not  been  healed  from  within  by  mercury, 
its  specific  remedy,  but  has  passed  over  into  venereal 
disease.  This  latter,  also,  never  passes  away  of  itself, 
but,  even  with  the  most  correct  mode  of  life  and  with 
the  most  robust  bodily  constitution,  increases  every 
year  and  unfolds  evermore  into  new  and  worse  symp- 
toms, and  this,  also,  to  the  end  of  man's  life. 

I  had  come  thus  far  in  my  investigations  and  obser- 
vations with  such  non-venereal  patients,  when  I  dis- 
covered, even  in  the  beginning,  that  the  obstacle  to 
the  cure  of  many  cases  which  seemed  delusively  like 
specific,  well-defined  diseases,  and  yet  could  not  be 
cured  in  a  Homoeopathic  manner  with  the  then  proved 
medicines,  seemed  very  often  to  lie  in  a  former  erup- 
tion of  itch,  which  was  not  unfrequently  confessed  ; 
and  the  beginning  of  all  the  subsequent  sufferings 
usually  dated  from  that  time.  So  also  with  similar 
chronic  patients  who  did  not  confess  such  an  infection, 
or,  what  was  probably  more  frequent,  who  had,  from 


*  Not  unfrequently  phthisis  passes  over  into  iii-anitj- ;  dried-up 
ulcers  into  dropsy  or  apoplexy  ;  intermittent  fever  into  asthma  ; 
affections  of  the  abdomen  into  pains  in  the  joints  or  paralysis  ; 
pains  in  the  limbs  into  hemorrhage,  etc.  and  it  was  not  difficult 
to  discover  that  the  later  diseases  must  also  have  their  foundation 
in  the  original  malady  and  can  only  be  a  part  of  a  far  greater 
whole. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  31 

inattention,  not  perceived  it,  or,  at  least,  could  not 
remember  it.  After  a  careful  inquiry  it  usually  turned 
out  that  little  traces  of  it  (small  pustules  of  itch, 
herpes,  etc.)  had  showed  themselves  with  them  from 
time  to  time,  even  if  but  rarely,  as  an  indubitable  sign 
of  a  former  infection  of  this  kind. 

These  circumstances,  in  connection  with  the  fact 
that  innumerable  observations  of  physicians,*  and  not 
infrequently  my  own  experience,  had  shown  that  an 
eruption  of  itch  suppressed  by  faulty  practice  or  one 
which  had  disappeared  from  the  skin  through  other 
means  was  evidently  followed,  in  persons  otherwise 
healthy,  by  the  same  or  similar  symptoms;  these  cir- 
cumstances, I  repeat,  could  leave  no  doubt  in  my  mind 
as  to  the  internal  foe  which  I  had  to  combat  in  my 
medical  treatment  of  such  cases. 

Gradually  I  discovered  more  effective  means  against 
this  original  malady  that  caused  so  many  complaints; 
against  this  malady  which  may  be  called  by  the  general 
name  of  Psora;  i.  c,  against  the  internal  itch  disease 
with  or  without  its  attendant  eruption  on  the  skin.  It 
then  became  manifest  to  me,  through  the  aid  afforded 
when  using  these  medicines  in  similar  chronic  diseases, 
in  which  the  patient  was  unable  to  show  a  like  cause, 
that  also  these  cases  in  which  the  patient  remembered 
no  infection  of  this  kind  were  of  necessity  caused  by  a 
Psora  with  which  he  had  been  infected,  perhaps,  even 
in  his  cradle,  or  in  some  other  way  that  had  escaped 
his  memory;  and  this  often  received  corroboration  on 
a  more  careful  inquiry  with  the  parents  or  aged  rela- 
tives. 


*So  also,  more  lately,  Von  Autenrieth  (in  Tubinger  Bldttet 
fur  Naturwissenschaft  und  Arzneikjinde,  2  vol.,  2d  part). 


32  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Most  painstaking  observations  as  to  the  aid  afforded 
by  the  antipsoric  remedies,  which  were  added  in  the 
first  of  these  eleven  years,  have  taught  me  evermore 
how  frequently  not  only  the  moderate,  but  also  the 
more  severe  and  the  most  severe,  chronic  diseases  are 
of  this  origin.  This  observation  taught  me  that  not 
only  most  of  the  many  cutaneous  eruptions,  which 
Willan  distinguishes  with  such  extreme  care  from  one 
another,  and  which  have  received  separate  names,  but 
also  almost  all  adventitious  formations,  from  the  com- 
mon wart  on  the  finger  up  to  the  largest  sarcomatous 
tumor,  from  the  malformations  of  the  finger-nails  up 
to  the  swellings  of  the  bones  and  the  curvature  of  the 
spine,  and  many  other  softenings  and  deformities  of 
the  bones,  both  at  an  early  and  at  a  more  advanced 
age,  are  caused  by  the  Psora.  So,  also,  frequent  epis- 
taxis,  the  accumulation  of  blood  in  the  veins  of  the 
rectum  and  the  anus,  discharges  of  blood  from  the 
same  (blind  or  flowing  piles),  hemoptysis,  hemateme- 
sis,  hematuria,  and  deficient  as  well  as  too  frequent 
menstrual  discharges,  nightsweats  of  several  years' 
duration,  parchment-like  dryness  of  the  skin,  diarrhoea 
of  many  years'  standing,  as  well  as  permanent  consti- 
pation and  difficult  evacuation  of  the  bowels,  long- 
continued  erratic  pains,  convulsions  occurring  repeat- 
edly for  a  number  of  years,  chronic  ulcers  and  inflam- 
mations, sarcomatous  enlargements  and  tumors,  ema- 
ciation, excessive  sensitiveness  as  well  as  deficiencies 
in  the  senses  of  seeing,  hearing,  smelling,  tasting  and 
feeling;  excessive  as  well  as  extinguished  sexual  desire, 
diseases  of  the  mind  and  of  the  soul,  from  imbecility 
up  to  ecstacy,  from  melancholy  up  to  raging  insanity; 


Hahnemann's  chkoxic:  diseases.  33 

swoons  and  vertigo;  the  so-called  diseases  of  the  heart; 
abdominal  complaints  and  all  that  is  comprehended 
under  hysteria  and  hypochondria — in  short,  thousands 
of  tedious  ailments  of  humanity  called  by  pathology 
with  various  names,  are,  with  few  exceptions,  true  de- 
scendants of  this  many-formed  Psora  alone.  I  was 
thus  instructed  by  my  continued  observations,  com- 
parisons and  experiments  in  the  last  years  that  the  ail- 
ments and  infirmities  of  body  and  soul,  which,  in  their 
manifest  complaints,  differ  so  radically,  and  which, 
with  different  patients,  appear  so  very  unlike  (if  they 
do  not  belong  to  the  two  venereal  diseases,  syphilis 
and  sj/cosis)  are  but  partial  manifestations  of  the  an- 
cient miasma  of  leprosy  and  itch;  /.  c,  merely  descend- 
ants of  one  and  the  same  vast  original  inalady,  the 
almost  innumerable  symptoms  of  which  form  but  one 
whole  and  are  to  be  regarded  and  to  be  medicinally 
treated  as  the  parts  of  one  and  the  same  disease  in  the 
same  way  as  in  a  great  epidemic  of  typhus  fever. 
Thus,  in  the  year  1813,  one  patient  would  be  prostrated 
with  only  a  few  symptoms  of  this  plague,  a  second  pa- 
tient showed  only  a  few,  but  different  ailments,  while 
a  third,  fourth,  etc.,  would  complain  of  still  other  ail- 
ments belonging  to  this  epidemic  disease,  while  they 
were,  nevertheless,  all  sick  with  one  and  the  same 
pestilential  fever,  and  the  entire  and  complete  image 
of  the  typhus  fever  reigning  at  the  time  could  only  be 
obtained  by  gathering  together  the  symptoms  of  all,  or 
at  least  of  many  of  these  patients.  Then  the  one  or 
two  remedies*  found  to  be  homoeopathic  healed  the 

*In  the  typhus  of  1813  Bryonia  and  Rhus  toxicodendron  were 
the  specific  remedies  for  all  the  patients. 


34  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

whole  epidemy,  and  therefore  showed  themselves  spe- 
cifically helpful  with  every  patient,  though  the  one 
might  be  suffering  from  symptoms  differing  from  those 
of  others,  and  almost  all  seemed  to  be  suffering  from 
different  diseases. 

Just  so,  only  upon  a  far  larger  scale,  it  is  with  the 
Psora,  this  fundamental  disease  of  so  many  chronic 
maladies,  each  of  which  seems  to  be  essentially  differ- 
ent from  the  others,  but  really  is  not,  as  may  readily 
be  seen  from  the  agreement  of  several  symptoms  com- 
mon to  them  which  appear  as  the  disease  runs  its 
course,  and  also  from  their  being  healed  through  the 
same  remedy. 

All  chronic  diseases  of  mankind,  even  those  left  to 
themselves,  not  aggravated  by  a  perverted  treatment, 
show,  as  said,  such  a  constancy  and  perseverance, 
that  as  soon  as  they  have  developed  and  have  not 
been  thoroughly  healed  by  the  medical  art,  they  ever- 
more increase  with  the  years,  and  during  the  whole  of 
man's  lifetime;  and  they  cannot  be  diminished  by  the 
strength  belonging  even  to  the  most  robust  constitution. 
Still  less  can  they  be  overcome  and  extinguished 
Thus  the}'  never  pass  away  of  themselves,  but  increase 
and  are  aggravated  even  till  death.  They  must  there- 
fore all  have  for  their  origin  and  foundation  constant 
chronic  miasms,  whereby  their  parasitical  existence  in 
the  human  organism  is  enabled  to  continually  rise  and 
grow. 

In  Europe  and  also  on  other  continents  so  far  as 
is  known,  according  to  all  investigations,  only  three 
chronic  miasms  are  found,  the  diseases  caused  by 
which  manifest  themselves  through  local  symptoms, 


Hahnemann's  chronic  j)iseases.  35 

and  from  which  most,  if  not  all,  the  chronic  diseases 
originate;  namely,  first,  syphilis,  which  I  have  also 
called  the  venereal  chancre  disease;  then  sycosis,  or 
the  fig-xvart  disease,  and  finally  the  chronic  disease 
which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  the  eruption  of  itch; 
i.  e.,  the  Psora;  which  I  shall  treat  of  first  as  the  most 
important. 

Psora  is  that  most  ancient,  most  nnix'crsal,  most 
destructive,  and  yet  most  misapprehended  chronic 
miasmatic  disease  which  for  many  thousands  of  years 
has  disfigured  and  tortured  mankind,  and  which  during 
the  last  centuries  has  become  the  mother  of  all  the 
thousands  of  incredibly  various  (acute  and)  chronic 
(non-venereal)  diseases,  by  which  the  whole  civilized 
human  race  on  the  inhabited  globe  is  being  more  and 
more  afflicted. 

Psora  is  the  oldest  miasmatic  chronic  disease  known 
to  us.  Just  as  tedious  as  syphilis  and  sycosis,  and 
therefore  not  to  be  extinguished  before  the  last  breath 
of  the  longest  human  life,  unless  it  is  thoroughly  cured, 
since  not  even  the  most  robust  constitution  is  able  to 
destroy  and  extinguish  it  by  its  own  proper  strength, 
Psora,  or  the  Itch  disease,  is  beside  this  the  oldest  and 
most  hydra-headed  of  all  the  chronic  miasmatic  dis- 
eases. 

In  the  many  thousands  of  years  during  which  it  may 
have  afflicted  mankind, — for  the  most  ancient  history 
of  the  most  ancient  people  does  not  reach  to  its 
origin, — it  has  so  much  increased  in  the  extent  of  its 
pathological  manifestations — an  extent  which  may  to 


fSee  Organon  of  the  Healing  Art,  fifth  edition,  1834,  i;  100  sqq. 


36  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

some  degree  be  explained  by  its  increased  develop- 
ment during  such  an  inconceivable  number  of  years  in 
so  many  millions  of  organisms  through  which  it  has 
passed, — that  its  secondary  symptoms  are  hardly  to  be 
numbered.  And,  if  we  except  those  diseases  which 
have  been  created  by  a  perverse  medical  practice  or  by 
deleterious  labors  in  quicksilver.  Lead,  Arsenic,  etc., 
which  appear  in  the  common  pathology  under  a  hun- 
dred proper  names  as  supposedly  separate  and  well- 
defined  diseases  (and  also  those  springing  from  syphilis 
and  the  still  rarer  ones  springing  from  sycosis),  all  the 
remaining  natural  chronic  diseases,  whether  with 
names  or  without  them,  find  in  Psora  their  real 
origin,  their  only  source. 

The  oldest  monuments  of  history  which  we  possess 
show  the  Psora  even  then  in  great  development. 
•Moses*  3400  years  ago  pointed  out  several  varieties. 
At  that  time  and  later  on  among  the  Israelites  the  dis- 


*In  Leviticus  not  only  in  the  thirteenth  chapter,  but  also  (chap. 
21,  verse  20)  where  he  speaks  of  the  bodily  defects  which  must  not 
be  found  in  a  priest  who  is  to  offer  sacrifice,  malignant  itch  is 
designated  by  the  word  garab,  which  the  Alexandrian  translators 
(in  the  Septuagint)  translated  with  Psora  agria,  but  the  Vulgate 
with  scabies  jugis.  The  talmudic  interpreter,  Jonathan, explained  it 
asdryiich  spread  over  thebody;  while  the  expression,  >'<//^/>j^(fa?,  is  used 
by  Moses  {ox  lichen,  tetter,  herpes  (see  M.  Rosenmueller,  Scholia 
inLevit.,  p.  II.,  edit,  sec,  p.  124).  The  commentators  in  the  so- 
called  English  Bible-work  also  agree  wiih  this  definition,  Calmet, 
among  others,  saying:  "  Leprosy  is  similar  to  an  inveterate  itch 
with  violent  itching."  The  ancients  also  mention  the  peculiar, 
characteristic  voluptuous  itching  which  attended  itch  then  as  now, 
while  after  the  scratching  a  painful  burning  follows;  among  others 
Plato,  who  calls  '\\.c\x  glykypikron,  while  Cicero  marks  the  dulcedo 
o{  scabies. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  37 

ease  seems  to  have  mostly  kept  the  external  parts  of 
the  body  for  its  chief  seat.  This  was  also  true  of  the 
malady  as  it  prevailed  in  uncultivated  Greece,  later  in 
Arabia  and,  lastly  in  Europe,  during  the  Middle  Ages. 
The  different  names  which  were  given  by  different  na- 
tions to  the  more  or  less  malignant  varieties  of  leprosy 
(the  external  symptom  of  Psora),  which  in  many 
ways  deformed  the  external  parts  of  the  body,  do  not 
concern  us  and  do  not  affect  the  matter,  since  the  na- 
ture of  this  miasmatic  itching  eruption  always  remained 
essentially  the  same. 

The  occidental  Psora,  which,  during  the  Middle 
Ages,  had  raged  in  Europe  for  several  centuries  under 
the  form  of  malignant  erysipelas  (called  St.  Anthony  s 
Fire),  reassumed  the  form  of  leprosy  through  the 
leprosy  which  was  brought  back  by  the  returning  cru- 
saders in  the  thirteenth  century.  And  though  it  thus 
spread  in  Europe  even  more  than  before  (for  in  the 
year  1226  there  were  in  France  alone  2,000  houses 
for  the  reception  of  lepers),  this  Psora,  which  now 
raged  as  a  dreadful  eruption,  found  at  least  an  ex- 
ternal alleviation  in  the  means  conducive  to  cleanli- 
ness, which  also  were  brought  by  the  crusaders  from 
the  Orient,  namely,  the  (cotton.''  linen .0  shirts  before 
unknown  in  Europe,  and  the  more  frequent  use  of 
warm  baths.  Through  both  of  those  means,  as  well  as 
through  the  more  exf^uisite  diet  and  refinement  in  the 
mode  of  living  introduced  by  increased  cultivation,  the 
external  horrors  of  the  Psora  within  the  space  of  sev- 
eral centuries  were  at  last  so  far  moderated  that,  at 
the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century,  it  appeared  only  in 
the  form  of  the  common  eruption  of  itch,  just  at  the 


38  HAHNEMANN  S    CHRONIC    DISEASES. 

time  when  the  other  miasmatic  chronic  disease,  syph- 
ilis, began  (in  1493)  to  raise  its  dreadful  head. 

Thus  this  eruption,  externalh'  reduced  in  cultivated 
countries  to  a  common  itch,  could  be  much  more  easily 
removed  from  the  skin  through  various  means,  so  that 
with  the  medicinal  external  treatment  since  introduced, 
especially  in  the  middle  and  higher  classes,  through 
baths,  washes  and  ointments  of  sulphur  and  lead,  and 
by  preparations  of  copper,  zinc  and  mercury,  the  ex- 
ternal manifestations  of  Psosa  on  the  skin  were  often 
so  quickly  suppressed,  and  are  so  now,  that  in  most 
cases,  either  of  children  or  of  grown  persons,  the  his- 
tory of  itch  infection  may  remain  undiscovered. 

But  the  state  of  mankind  was  not  improved  thereby; 
in  many  respects  it  grew  far  worse.  For,  although  in 
ancient  times  the  eruption  of  Psora  appearing  as  lep- 
rosy was  very  troublesume  to  those  suffering  from  it, 
owing  to  the  lancinating  pains  in  and  the  violent  itch- 
ing all  around  the  tumors  and  scabs,  the  rest  of  the 
body  enjoyed  a  fair  share  of  general  health.  This  was 
owing  to  the  obstinately  persistent  eruption  on  the 
skin,  which  served  as  a  substitute  for  the  internal 
Psora.  And  what  is  of  more  importance,  the  horrible 
and  disgusting  appearance  of  the  lepers  made  such  a 
terrible  impression  on  healthy  people  that  they  dreaded 
even  their  approach,  so  that  the  seclusion  of  most  of 
these  patients,  and  their  separation  in  leper  hospitals, 
kept  them  apart  from  other  human  society  and  infec- 
tion from  them  was  thus  limited  and  comparatively 
rare. 

In  consequence  of  the  very  much  milder  form  of  the 
Psora  during  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  centuries, 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  39 

when  it  appeared  as  itch,  the  few  pustules  ai)pearing 
after  infection  made  but  little  show  and  could  easily  be 
concealed.  Nevertheless  they  were  scratched  contin- 
ually because  of  their  unbearable  itching^,  and  thus  the 
fluid  was  diffused  around,  and  the  psoric  miasma  was 
communicated  more  certainly  and  more  easily  to  many 
other  persons  the  more  it  was  concealed;  for  the  things 
rendered  unclean  by  the  psoric  fluid  infected  the  per- 
sons who  unwittingly  touched  them,  and  thus  contam- 
inated far  more  persons  than  the  lepers,  who,  on  ac- 
count of  their  horrible  appearance,  were  carefully 
avoided. 

Psora  has  thus  become  the  most  infectious  and  most 
general  of  all  the  chronic  miasmas.  For  the  miasm 
has  usually  been  communicated  to  others  before  the 
one  from  whom  it  emanates  has  asked  for  or  received 
any  external  repressive  remedy  against  his  itching 
eruption  (lead-water,  ointment  of  the  white  precipitate 
of  mercury),  and  without  confessing  that  he  had  an 
eruption  of  itch,  often  even  without  knowing  it  himself; 
yea,  without  even  the  physician's  or  surgeon's  knowing 
the  exact  nature  of  the  eruption,  which  has  been  re- 
pressed by  the  lotion  of  lead,  etc. 

It  may  well  be  conceived  that  the  poorer  and  lower 
classes,  who  allow  the  itch  to  spread  on  their  skin  for 
a  long  time,  until  they  become  an  abomination  to  all 
around  them,  and  are  compelled  to  use  something  to 
remove  it,  must  have  in  the  meanwhile  infected  man}'. 

Mankind,  therefore,  is  worse  off  from  the  change  in 
the  external  form  of  the  Psora, — from  lepros}^  down  to 
the  eruption  of  itch — not  only  because  this  is  less  visi- 
ble and  more  secret  and  therefore  more  frequently  in- 


40  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

fectious,  but  also  especially  because  the  Psora,  now 
mitigated  externally  into  a  mere  itch  and  on  that  ac- 
count more  generally  spread,  nevertheless  still  retains 
unchanged  its  original  dreadful  nature.  Now,  after 
being  more  easily  repressed,  the  disease  grows  all  the 
more  unperceived  within,  and  so,  in  the  last  three  cen- 
turies, after  the  destruction*  of  its  chief  symptom  (the 

*The  external  eruption  of  itch  may  not  only  be  driven  away  by 
the  faulty  practices  of  physicians  and  quacks,  but  unfortunately  it 
not  unfrequently  of  its  own  accord  withdraws  from  the  skin  (see 
below,  e.  g.,  in  the  observation  of  the  older  physicians,  Nos.  9,  17, 
26,  36,  50,  58,  61,  64,  65).  Syphilis  and  sycosis  both  have  an  ad- 
vantage over  the  itch  disease  in  this,  that  the  chancre  (or  bubo)  in 
the  one  and  the  fig-wart  in  the  other  never  leave  the  external  parts 
until  they  have  been  either  mischievously  destroyed  through  ex- 
ternal repressive  remedies  or  have  been  in  a  rational  manner  re- 
moved through  the  simultaneous  internal  cure  of  the  whole  dis- 
ease. The  veuereal  disease  cannot,  therefore,  break  out  so  long  as 
the  chancre  is  not  artificially  destroyed  by  external  applications, 
nor  can  the  secondary  ailments  of  sycosis  break  out  so  long  as  the 
fig-wart  has  not  been  destroyed  by  faulty  practice;  for  these  local 
symptoms,  which  act  as  substitutes  for  the  internal  disease,  remain 
standing  even  until  the  end  of  man's  life,  and  prevent  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  internal  disease.  It  is,  therefore,  just  as  easy  to  heal 
them  then,  even  in  their  whole  extent,  i.e.,  thoroughly,  through 
their  specific  internal  medicines,  which  need  only  to  be  continued 
until  these  local  symptoms  (chancre  and  fig-wart),  which  are  in 
their  nature  unchangeable  except  through  artificial  external  appli- 
cation, are  thoroughly  healed.  Then  we  may  be  quite  certain  that 
we  have  thoroughly  cured  the  internal  disease,  i.  e.,  syphilis  and 
sycosis. 

This  good  feature  Psora  has  lost  in  the  present  more  and  more 
mitigated  nature  of  its  chief  symptom,  which  has  changed  from 
leprosy  to  itch  in  the  last  three  centuries.  The  eruption  of  itch  by 
no  means  remains  as  persistently  in  its  place  on  the  skin  as  the 
chancre  and  fig-wart.     Even  if  the  eruption  of  itch  has  not  (as  is 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  41 

external  skin  eruption)  it  plays  the  sad  role  of  causing 
innumerable  secondary  symptoms,  /.  r.,  it  originates  a 
legion  of  chronic  diseases,  the  source  of  which  physi- 
cians neither  surmise  nor  unravel,  and  which,  there- 
fore, they  can  no  more  cure  than  they  could  cure  the 
original  disease  when  accompanied  by  its  cutaneous 
eruption;  but  these  chronic  diseases,  as  daily  experi- 
ence shows,  were  necessarily  aggravated  b)'  the  multi- 
tude of  their  faulty  remedies. 

nearly  always  the  case)  been  driven  away  from  the  skin  through 
the  faulty  practices  of  physicians  and  quacks  by  means  of  desiccat- 
ing washes,  sulphur  ointments,  drastic  purgatives  or  cupping,  it 
frequently  disappears,  as  we  say,  of  itself,  i.  e.,  through  causes 
which  are  not  noticed.  It  often  disappears  through  some  unlucky 
physical  or  psychical  occurrence,  through  a  violent  fright,  through 
continual  vexations,  deeply-affecting  grief,  through  catching  a 
severe  cold,  or  through  a  cold  temperature  (see  below,  observation 
67j;  through  cold,  lukewarm  and  warm  river  baths  or  mineral 
baths,  by  a  fever  arising  from  any  cause,  or  through  a  different 
acute  disease  {e.  g.,  smallpox;  see  below,  observation  39);  through 
persistent  diarrhoea,  sometimes  also  perhaps  through  a  peculiar 
want  of  activity  in  the  skin,  and  the  results  in  s«ch  a  case  are  just 
as  mischievous  as  if  the  eruption  had  been  driven  away  externally 
by  the  irrational  practice  of  a  physician.  The  secondary  ailments 
of  the  internal  Psora  and  any  one  of  the  innumerable  chronic  dis- 
eases flowing  from  this  origin  will  then  break  out  sooner  or  later. 
But  let  no  one  think  that  the  Psora,  which  has  been  thus  miti- 
gated in  its  local  symptom,  its  cutaneous  eruption,  differs  materi- 
ally from  ancient  leprosy.  Even  leprosy,  when  not  inveterate, 
could  in  ancient  times  not  seldom  be  driven  from  the  skin  by  cold 
baths  or  by  repeated  dipping  in  a  river  and  through  warm  mineral 
baths  (see  below,  No.  35);  but  also  then  the  evil  effects  resulting 
were  as  little  regarded  as  the  more  modern  physicians  regard  the 
acute  diseases  and  the  insidious  maladies  which  do  not  fail  to  de- 
velop sooner  or  later  from  the  indwelling  Psora  when  an  eruption 
of  the  present  itch  disease  has  disappeared  of  itself  or  has  been 
violently  driven  away. 
4 


42  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

So  great  a  flood  of  numberless  nervous  troubles, 
painful  ailments,  spasms,  ulcers  (cancers),  adventitious 
formations,  dj'scrasias,  paralyses,  consumptions  and 
cripplings  of  soul,  mind  and  body  were  never  seen  in 
ancient  times  when  the  Psora  mostly  confined  itself  to 
its  dreadful  cutaneous  symptom,  leprosy.  Only  dur- 
ing the  last  few  centuries  has  mankind  been  flooded 
with  these  infirmities,  owing  to  the  causes  just  men- 
tioned.* 

It  was  thus  that  Psora  became  the  inost  ttniversal 
mother  of  chronic  diseases. 

The  Psora,  which  is  now  so  easily  and  so  rashly 
robbed  of  its  ameliorating  cutaneous  symptom,  the 
eruption  of  itch,  which  acts  vicariously  for  the  internal 
disease,  has  been  producing  within  the  last  three  hun- 
dred years  more  and  more  secondary  symptoms,  and, 
indeed,  so  many  that  at  least  seven-eighths  of  all  the 
chronic  maladies  spring  from  it  as  their  only  source, 

*That  the  drinking  of  warm  coffee  and  Chinese  tea,  which  has 
spread  so  generally  in  the  last  two  centuries,  and  which  has  so 
largely  increased  the  irritability  of  the  muscular  fibre  as  well  as 
the  excessive  excitability  of  the  nerves,  has  further  augmented  the 
tendency  of  this  period  to  a  multitude  of  chronic  diseases,  and  has 
thus  aided  the  Psora,  I  least  of  all  can' doubt,  as  I  have  made  prom- 
inent, perhaps  too  prominent,  the  part  which  coffee  takes  with  re- 
spect to  the  bodily  and  mental  sufferings  of  humanity  in  my  little 
work  on  "The  Effects  of  Coffee"  {Die  Wirkungett  des  Kaffee's, 
Leipzig,  1803).  This,  perhaps  undue,  prominence  given  was  ow- 
ing to  the  fact  that  I  had  not  then  as  yet  discovered  the  chief 
source  of  chronic  diseases  in  the  Psora.  Only  in  connection  with 
the  excessive  use  of  coffee  and  tea,  which  both  offer  palliatives  for 
several  symptoms  oi  Psora,  could  Psora  spread  such  innumerable, 
such  obstinate  chronic  sufferings  among  mankind;  for  Psora  alone 
could  not  have  produced  this  effect. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  43 

while  the  remaining  eightJi  springs  from  syphilis  and 
sycosis^  or  from  a  complication  of  two  of  these  three 
miasmatic  chronic  diseases,  or  (which  is  rare)  from  a 
complication  of  all  three  of  them.  Even  syphilis, 
which  on  account  of  its  easy  curability  yields  to  the 
smallest  dose  of  the  best  preparation  of  Mercury,  and 
sycosis,  which  on  account  of  the  slight  difficulty  in  its 
cure  through  a  few  doses  of  Thuja  and  Nitric  acid  in 
alternation,  only  pass  into  a  tedious  malady  difficult  to 
cure  when  they  are  complicated  with  Psora.  Thus 
Psora  is  among  all  diseases  the  one  which  is  most  mis- 
apprehended, and,  therefore,  has  been  medically  treated 
in  the  worst  and  most  injurious  manner. 

It  is  incredible  to  what  an  extent  modern  physicians 
of  the  common  school  have  sinned  against  the  welfare 
of  humanity,  since,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  teachers 
of  medicine  and  the  more  prominent  modern  physicians 
and  medical  writers  have  laid  down  the  rule  and  taught 
it  as  an  infallible  theorem  that:  "Every  eruption  of 
itch  is  merely  a  local  ailment  of  the  skin,  in  which  ail- 
ment the  remaining  organism  takes  no  part  at  all,  so 
that  it  may  and  must  be  driven  away  from  the  skin  at 
any  time  and  without  any  scruple,  through  local  appli- 
cations of  sulphur  ointment  or  of  the  yet  more  active 
ointment  of  Jasser,  through  sulphur  fumigations,  by 
solutions  of  lead  and  zinc,  but  most  quickly  by  the 
precipitates  of  mercury.  If  the  eruption  is  once  re- 
moved from  the  skin  everything  is  well  and  the  person 
is  restored  and  the  whole  disease  removed.  Of  course, 
if  the  eruption  is  neglected  and  allowed  to  spread  upon 
the  skin,  then  it  may  eventually  turn  out  that  the  ma- 
lignant matter  may  find  opportunity  to  insinuate  itself 


44  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

through  the  absorbent  vessels  into  the  mass  of  humors 
and  thus  to  corrupt  the  blood,  the  humors  and  the 
health.  Then,  indeed,  man  may  finally  be  afflicted 
with  ailments  from  these  malignant  humors,  though 
these  might  soon  again  be  removed  from  the  body  by 
purgatives  and  abluents;  but  through  prompt  removal 
of  the  eruption  from  the  skin  all  sequelae  are  prevented 
and  the  internal  body  remains  entirely  healthy." 

These  horrible  untruths  have  not  only  been,  and  are 
still  being  taught,  but  they  are  also  being  carried  out 
in  practice.  The  consequence  is  that  at  the  present 
day  the  patients  in  all  the  most  celebrated  hospitals, 
even  in  those  countries  and  cities  that  seem  most  en- 
lightened, as  well  as  the  private  itch-patients  of  the 
lower  and  higher  classes,  the  patients  in  all  the  peni- 
tentiaries and  orphan  asylums,  in  other  civil  and 
military  hospitals,  wherever  such  eruptions  are  found — 
in  short,  the  innumerable  multitude  of  patients,  with- 
out exception,  are  treated,  not  only  by  physicians  un- 
known to  fame,  but  by  all,  even  those  most  celebrated^ 
with  the  above  mentioned  external  remedies,*  using 

*Then,  as  these  gentlemen  dream  in  their  perverted  minds,  in 
which  they  have  disposed  of  the  nature  of  this  most  important  dis- 
ease in  their  arbitrary  way  and  without  consulting  nature,  then 
these  frivolous  gentlemen  assure  us,  the  matter  of  the  itch  has  not 
yet  had  time  to  penetrate  inwardly  and  to  be  received  by  the  ab- 
sorbent vessels  to  the  detriment  of  the  whole  mass  of  humors.  But 
how  then,  Oh  conscientious  men!  if  even  the  first  little  pustule  of 
itch  with  its  unbearable  voluptuous  itching,  forcing  a  man  irre- 
sistibly to  scratch,  and  with  the  following  burning  pain,  is  in  every 
case  and  every  time  the  proof  of  a  universal  itch-disease  which  has 
been  previously  developed  in  the  interior  of  the  whole  organism, 
as  we  shall  see  below?    How  then,  if  in  accordance  with  this  fact 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  45 

perhaps  at  the  same  time  lar^e  doses  of  flowers  of 
sulphur,  and  strong  purgatives  (to cleanse  the  body,  as 
they  say).  These  physicians  think  that  the  more 
quickly  these  eruptions  are  driven  from  the  skin  the 
better.  Then  they  dismiss  the  patients  from  their 
treatment  as  cured,  with  brazen  assurance  and  the 
delaration  that  everything  is  now  all  right,  "^without  re- 
garding or  being  willing  to  notice  the  ailments  which 
sooner  or  later  are  sure  to  follow;  /.  c,  the  Psora 
which  shows  itself  from  within  in  a  thousand  different 
diseases.t  If  the  deceived  wretches  'then  soonor  or 
later  return  with  the  malady  following  unavoidably  on 


any  external  repression  of  the  itch-eruption  can  not  only  do 
nothing  toward  alleviating  the  internal  general  disease,  but  rather 
as  thousands  of  facts  go  to  prove,  compel  it  to  develop  and 
break  forth  quickly  into  innumerable,  different,  acute  sufferings, 
or  gradully  into  chronic  sufferings,  which  make  mankind  so  help- 
less and  miserable  ?  Can  you  then  heal  these?  Experience  says 
no;  you  cannot  do  it. 

*In  some  vigorous  itch  patients  the  vital  force,  following  the 
law  of  nature  on  which  its  rests  (her  instinct  showing  more  wisdom 
than  the  intelligence  of  her  destroyers),  after  some  weeks,  drives 
back  to  the  skin  the  eruption  seemingly  destroyed  by  itch  oint- 
ments and  purgatives;  the  patient  returns  to  the  hospital  and  the 
mischievous  destruction  of  the  eruption,  by  means  of  ointments 
and  lotions  of  solutions  of  Lead  and  Zinc,  is  renewed.  I  have  seen 
in  military  hospitals  this  eruption  thus  destroyed  in  an  irrational 
and  cruel  manner  three  times  in  succession  within  a  few  months, 
while  the  quack  who  applied  the  ointment  pretended  that  the  pa- 
tient must  have  been  infected  anew  with  itch  three  times  in  this 
short  period,  which  was  really  impossible. 

1 1  wrote  this  six  years  ago.  but  even  at  this  day  the  physicians 
of  the  old  school  continue  to  act  and  teach  with  the  same  criminal 
negligence.  In  this  most  important  medical  affair  they  have  up 
to  this  day  not  become  the  least  bit  wiser  or  more  humane. 


46  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

such  a  treatment;  c.  g.,  with  sweUings,  obstinate  pains 
in  one  part  or  another,  with  hypochondriac  or  hysteri- 
cal troubles,  gout,  consumption,  tubercular  phthisis, 
continual  or  spasmodic  asthma,  blindness,  deafness, 
paralysis,  caries  of  the  bones,  ulcers  (cancer),  spasms, 
hemorrhages,  diseases  of  the  mind  and  soul,  etc.,  the 
physicians  smagine  that  they  have  before  them  some- 
thing entirely  new  and  treat  it  again  and  again  accord- 
ing to  the  old  routine  of  their  therapeutics  in  a  useless 
and  hurtful  manner,  directing  their  medicines  against 
phantom  diseases;  /.  e.,  against  causes  invented  by 
them  for  the  ailments  as  they  appear,  until  the  patient, 
after  many  years'  suffering  continually  aggravated,  is 
at  last  freed  from  their  hands  by  death,  the  end  of  all 
earthly  maladies.* 

The  older  physicians  were  more  conscientious  in  this 
matter  and  observed  with  less  prejudice.  They  saw 
clearly  and  became  convinced  that  innumerable  ail- 
ments and  the  most  severe  chronic  diseases  follow  the 
destruction  of  the  itch-eruption  from  the  skin.  And 
since  this  experience  compelled  them  to  assume  the 
existence  of  an  internal  disease,  in  every  case  of  itch 

*  By  accident  (for  they  cannot  give  any  but  a  feigned  reason  for 
their  action)  they  found  out  a  refuge  which  temporarily  often 
alleviates  the  sufferings  of  their  patients  when  they  cannot  do  any- 
thing at  home  with  their  prescriptions  against  the  unknown  dis- 
ease; that  is,  they  send  him  to  some  sulphur  hath  or  other, 
where  the  patients  often  get  rid  of  a  small  part  of  their  Psora,  and 
thus  are  also  at  the  first  use  of  the  baths  for  a  time  relieved  of  their 
chronic  disease;  but  afterwards  they  fall  back  into  the  same  or  a 
kindred  ailment,  and  the  repetition  of  the  bath  then  avails  little  or 
nothing,  because  the  cure  of  a  developed  Psora  requires  a  far  more 
adequate  treatment  than  the  impetuous  use  of  such  baths. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  47 

they  endeavor  to  extirpate  this  internal  malady  by 
means  of  a  multitude  of  internal  remedies,  as  good  as 
their  therapeutics  afforded.  It  was,  indeed,  but  a  use- 
less endeavor,  because  the  true  method  of  healing, 
which  it  could  only  be  the  prerogative  of  Homoeopathy 
to  discover,  was  unknown  to  them.  Nevertheless  this 
sincere  endeavor  was  praiseworthy,  since  it  was 
founded  on  an  appreciation  of  the  great  internal  dis- 
ease present,  together  with  the  eruption  of  itch,  which 
internal  disease  it  was  necessary  to  remove.  This 
prevented  their  reliance  on  the  mere  local  destruction 
of  the  itch  from  the  skin,  as  practiced  by  modern  phy- 
sicians, who  think  that  the}'  cannot  quickly  enough 
drive  it  away — as  if  it  were  a  mere  external  disease  of 
the  skin — without  regarding  the  great  injuries  attend- 
ing such  a  course.  The  older  physicians,  on  the  other 
hand,  have  warningly  laid  these  injuries  before  our 
eyes  in  their  writings,  giving  thousands  of  examples. 

The  observations  of  those  honest  men  are  too  start- 
ling to  be  rejected  contemptuously,  or  ignored  by  con- 
scientious men. 

I  shall  here  adduce  some  of  these  numerous  observa- 
tions handed  down  to  us,  which  I  might  increase  by  an 
equal  number  of  my  own  if  the  former  were  not 
already  abundantly  sufficient  to  show  with  what  fury 
the  internal  Psora  manifests  itself  when  the  external 
local  symptom  which  serves  to  assuage  the  internal 
malady  is  hastily  removed.  They  also  show  that  it 
must  be  a  matter  of  conscience  for  the  physician  who 
loves  his  fellow-man  to  direct  all  his  endeavors  to 
cure,  first  of  all,  the  internal  malady,  whereby  the 
cutaneous  eruption  will  at  the  same  time  be  removed 


46  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

and  destroyed  and  all  the  subsequent  innumerable  life- 
long chronic  sufferings  springing  from  the  Psora  be 
prevented  or,  if  they  are  already  embittering  the  life 
of  the  patient,  be  cured. 

The  diseases,  partly  acute  but  chiefly  chronic,  spring- 
ing from  such  a  one-sided  destruction  of  the  chief  skin- 
symptom  ^eruption  and  itching)  which  acts  vicariously 
and  assuages  the  internal  Psora  (which  destruction  is 
erroneously  called  "  Driving  the  itch  into  the  body'') 
are  innumerable;  as  manifold  as  the  peculiarities  of 
bodily  constitutions  and  of  the  outer  world  which  modi- 
fies them. 

A  brief  survey  of  the  manifold  misfortunes  resulting 
thence  is  given  by  the  experienced  and  honest  Ludwig 
Christian  Juncker  in  his  Dissertatio  de  Damno  ex 
Scabic  Repulsa,  Halle,  1750,  p.  15-18.  He  observed 
that  with  young  people  of  a  sanguine  temperament 
the  suppression  of  itch  is  followed  by  phthisis,  and 
with  persons  in  general  who  are  of  a  sanguine  tem- 
perament it  is  followed  by  piles,  hemorrhoidal  coHc 
and  renal  gravel;  with  persons  of  sanguino-choleric 
temperament  by  swellings  of  the  inguinal  glands,  stiff- 
ening of  the  joints  and  malignant  ulcers  (called  in 
German  Todenbriiche) ;  with  fat  persons  by  a  suffocat- 
ing catarrh  and  mucous  consumption;  also  by  inflam- 
matory fever,  acute  pleurisy  and  inflammation  of  the 
lungs.  He  further  states  that  in  autopsies  the  lungs 
have  been  found  indurated  and  full  of  cysts  containing 
pus;  also  other  indurations,  swellings  of  the  bones  and 
ulcers  have  been  seen  to  follow  the  suppression  of  an 
eruption.  Phlegmatic  persons  in  consequence  of  such 
suppressions  suffered  chiefly  from  dropsy;  the  menses 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  49 

were  delayed,  and  when  the  itch  was  driven  away  dur- 
ing their  flow,  they  were  changed  into  a  monthly 
hemoptysis.  Persons  inchned  to  melancholy  were 
sometimes  made  insane  by  such  repression;  if  they 
were  pregnant  the  foetus  was  usually  killed.  Some- 
times the  suppression  of  the  itch  causes  sterility,*  in 
nursing  women  the  milk  is  generally  lacking,  the 
menses  disappear  prematurely  ;  in  older  women  the 
uterus  becomes  ulcerated,  attended  with  deep,  burn- 
ing pains,  with  wasting  away  (cancer  of  the  womb). 

His  experiences  were  frequently  confirmed  by  the 
observationst  of  others,  as  c.  g.  with  reference  to: 

*  A  pregnant  Jewess  had  the  itch  on  her  hands  and  drove  it 
away  in  the  eighth  month  of  her  pregnancy  so  that  it  might  not 
be  seen  during  the  period  of  her  delivery.  Three  days  afterwards 
she  was  delivered  and  the  lochial  discharge  did  not  appear  and 
she  was  seized  with  a  high  fever  ;  since  that  time  for  seven  years 
she  had  been  sterile  and  had  suffered  from  leucorrhoea  Then 
she  became  poor  and  had  to  walk  a  great  distance  barefooted  ; 
hereupon  the  itch  again  appeared  and  she  thus  lost  her  leucor- 
rhoea and  her  other  hysteric  affections  ;  she  ])ecame  again  preg- 
nant and  was  safely  delivered,     {[uncker,  ibid. ) 

t  When  writmg  the  first  edition  of  the  Chronic  Diseases,  I  was 
not  as  yet  acquainted  with  Autenrioth's  Versuche  fucr  die  prakt. 
Heilkunde  aus  den  Klinishen  Anstalten  von  Tubingen,  1808. 
But  I  saw  on  examining  the  work,  tint  what  he  says  about  dis- 
eases following  the  driving  away  of  itch  through  local  applica- 
tions is  only  a  confirmation  of  what  I  had  already  found  with 
the  other  hundred  writers.  He  also  had  observed  that  the  exter- 
nal driving  away  of  itch  was  followed  by  ulcers  on  the  feet,  pul- 
monary consumption,  hysterical  chlorosis,  with  various  menstrual 
irregularities  ;  white  swelling  of  the  knee,  dropsy-  of  the  joints, 
epilepsy,  amaurosis,  with  obscured  cornea  ;  glaucoma  with  com- 
plete amaurosis ;  mental  derangement,  paralysis,  apoplexy  and 
curvature   of   the   neck  ;    these   he   erroneously  attributed  to  the 


50  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Asthma,  Lentilius  Misccll.  med.  pract.  Tom.  I.,  p.  176. 
Fr.  Hoffmann  Abliandlung  v.  d.  Kinderkra7ikheiten, 
Frft.,  1741,  p.  104.  Detharding  in  Append,  ad  Epitem. 
Nat.  Ciir.  Dec.  III.,  ann  s  (^U  6  ct  in  obs.  parallel,  ad 
obs.  58.  Binninger,  Obs.  Cent.  V.,  obs.  88.  Morgagni, 
de  sedibus  et  cans,  inorb.  Epist.,  XIV.  35.  Acta  Nat. 
Cnr.  Tom.  V.  obs.  47.  J.  Juncker,  Consp.  ther.  spec, 
tab.  31.  F.  H.  L.  Muzell,  Wahmehvi.  Saimnl.  II.  Cas. 
8.^  J.  Fr.  Gmelin  in  Gesner's  Sauiml.  v.  Beob.  V.  S.  21.* 
Hundertmark-Zieger  Dissert,    de  scabie  artificiale.  Lips. 

ointments  alone.  But  his  own  slow  local  driving  away  of  the 
eruption  by  means  of  sulphnret  of  potash  and  soft  soap,  which  he 
in  vain  calls  healing  it,  is  in  no  way  betier.  Just  as  if  his  treat- 
ment were  anything  else  than  a  local  driving  away  of  the  erup- 
tion from  the  skin  !  Of  any  true  cure  he  knows  just  as  little  as 
the  other  Allopaths,  for  he  writes  :  '  It  is,  of  course,  absurd  to 
endeavor  to  cure  itch  (scab)  by  internal  remedies."  No!  it  is 
not  only  absurd,  but  even  wretched  to  undertake  to  cure  an  inter- 
nal itch-disease  which  cannot  be  cured  by  any  local  application, 
through  any  but  internal  means,  which  alone  can  cure  the  disease 
thoroughly  and  ivith  certainty. 

^  A  man  30  to  40  years  of  as^e  had  been  afflicted  with  the  itch  a 
long  time  before,  and  it  had  been  driven  away  by  ointments;  from 
which  time  he  had  become  more  and  more  asthmatic.  His  res- 
piration became  at  last,  even  when  not  in  motion,  very  short  and 
extremely  labored,  emitting  at  the  same  time  a  continuous  hiss- 
ing sound,  but  attended  with  only  little  coughing.  He  was  or- 
dered an  injection  of  one  drachm  of  squills,  and  to  take  internally 
3  grains  of  squills.  But  by  mistake  he  took  the  drachm  of  squills 
internally.  He  was  near  losing  his  life  with  an  indescribable 
nausea  and  retching.  Soon  after  this  the  itch  appeared  again  on 
his  hands,  his  feet  and  his  whole  body  in  great  abundance,  and 
by  this  means  the  asthma  was  at  once  removed. 

•  The  violent  asthma  was  combined  with  general  swelling  and 
fever. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  51 

1758,  p.  32/  Beireis — Stammen.  D/ss.  de  causis  cur  hn- 
primis  plebs  scabie  laboret.  Helmst.,  1792,  p.  26.* 
Pelargus  {S torch)  Obs.  din.  Jahrg.,  1722,  p.  435  n 
438.'  Breslauer  Sammlimg  v.  Jahre,  1727,  p.  293." 
Riedlin,  the  father,  Obs.  Cent.  II.,  obs.  90.  Augsburg, 
1691.' 
Suffocating  Catarrh,  Ehrenfr.  Hagendorn,  hist.  med.  phys. 


^  A  man  of  32  years  had  the  itch  driven  away  by  sulphur  oint- 
ment, and  he  suffered  for  eleven  months  from  the  most  violent 
asthma  until  by  drinking  birch-juice  the  eruption  was  brought 
back  on  the  twenty-third  day. 

*  A  student  was  seized  with  the  itch  just  as  he  was  going  to 
dance,  on  which  account  he  had  it  driven  out  by  a  practitioner 
with  sulphur  ointment.  But  soon  after,  he  was  attacked  by  such 
a  severe  asthma  that  he  could  only  draw  breath  by  throwing  his 
head  back,  and  was  almost  suffocated  during  the  attacks.  After 
thus  wrestling  with  death  for  an  hour,  he  would  cough  up  little 
cartilaginous  pieces  which  would  ease  him  for  a  very  short  time. 
Having  returned  home  to  Osterode  he  suffered  continually  for 
two  years  of  this  disease,  being  attacked  about  ten  times  a  day, 
which  could  not  even  be  mitigated  through  the  help  of  his  physi- 
cian, Beireis. 

*  A  boy  of  13  years  having  suffered  from  his  childhood  with 
tinea  capitis  had  his  mother  lemove  it  for  him,  but  he  became 
very  sick  within  eight  or  ten  days,  suffering  with  asthma,  violent 
pains  in  the  limbs,  back  and  knee,  which  were  not  relieved  until 
an  eruption  of  itch  broke  out  over  his  whole  body  a  month  later. 

®  Tinea  capitis  in  a  little  girl  was  driven  away  by  purgatives  and 
other  medicines,  but  the  child  was  attacked  with  <  ppression  of  the 
chest,  cough  and  great  lassitude.  It  was  not  until  she  stopped 
taking  the  medicines,  and  the  tinea  broke  out  again,  that  she 
recovered  her  cheerfulness  and  this,  indeed,  quickly. 

^  A  boy  of  5  years  suffered  for  a  long  time  from  itch,  and  when 
this  was  driven  away  by  a  salve  it  left  behind  a  severe  melancholy 
with  a  cough. 


52  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Cent.    I.,  hist  8,  9."     Pelargus,  Obs.  din.  Jahrg.,  1723, 
p.  15.' 

Suffocations  from  Asthma,  Joh.  Phil.  "^xtvAtXtConsilia  med.y 
Frft.,  1615,  Cons.  73.  EpJieni.  Nat.  Cur.,  Ann.  II., 
obs.  313.  Wah.  Fabr.  V.  Hilden,  Obs.  Cent.  III.,  Obs. 
SP.'Th.  R.  Vicat,  Obs.  Pract.,  obs.  35,  Vitoduri,  1780." 
J.  J.  Waldschmid.  Opera,  p.  244." 


*  Owing  to  tinea  capitis,  which  had  been  driven  off  by  rubbing 
with  ahnond  oil,  there  arose  an  excessive  lassitude  of  all  the  limbs, 
headache  on  one  side,  loss  of  appetite,  asthma,  waking  up  at  uight 
with  suffocating  catarrh,  with  severe  rattling  sind  whistling  on  the 
chest  and  convulsive  twisting  of  the  limbs,  as  if  about  to  die,  and 
hematuria.  When  the  tinea  broke  out  again,  he  recovered  from 
all  these  ailments. 

A  3-year-old  girl  had  the  itch,  for  several  weeks;  when  this  wad 
driven  out  by  an  ointment  she  was  seized  the  next  day  by  a  suffo- 
cating catarrh  with  snoring,  and  with  numbness  and  coldness  of 
the  wh()le  body,  from  which  she  did  not  recover  until  the  itch  re- 
appeared. 

*  A  girl  of  twelve  years  had  the  itch  with  which  she  had  fre- 
quently suffered,  drivei^away  from  the  skin  by  an  ointment,  when 
she  was  seized  with  an  acute  fever  with  suffocative  catarrh,  asthma 
and  swelling,  and  afterward  with  pleurisy.  Six  days  afterward, 
having  taken  an  internal  medicine  containing  sulphur,  the  itch 
again  appeared  and  all  the  ailments,  excepting  the  swelling,  dis- 
appeared ;  but  after  twenty-four  days  the  itch  again  dried  up, 
which  was  followed  by  a  new  inflammation  in  the  chest  with 
pleurisy  and  vomiting. 

'"  The  dyspnoea  of  a  youth,  20  years,  caused  by  the  driving  away 
of  itch  was  so  great  that  he  could  not  get  any  breath,  and  his 
pulse  was  hardly  perceptible,  in  consequence  of  which  he  suffo- 
cated. 

''  A  moist  herpes  on  the  left  upper  arm  of  a  youth  of  19  years 
was  finally  locally  removed  by  many  external  applications.  But 
soon  after,  there  ensued  a  periodical  asthma  which  was  suddenly 
increased  by  a  lengthy  foot-tour  in  the  heat^of  summer,  even  to 
suffocation,  with  a  puffed  up  bluish-red  face  and  quick,  weak, 
uneven  pulse. 

''^  The  dyspncea  from  the  driven  out  itch  came  on  very  suddenly, 
and  the  patient  was  suffocated. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  53 

Asthma  with  General  Swelling.  Waldschmid,  ibid.  Hoech- 
stetter,  Obs.  Dec.  III.,  obs.  7  Frft.  et  Lips,  1674,  p.  248. 
Pelargus,  Obs.  Clin.  Jahrg.,  1723,  p.  504. ''  Riedlin,  the 
father,  Obs.  Cent.  II.,  obs.  91." 

Asthma  with  Dropsy  of  the  Chest.  Storch  ///  Act.  Nat. 
Cur.  Tom.  V.,  obs.  147.  Morgagni,  de  sed.  et  causis 
morb.  XVI.,  Art.  34.''  Richard,  Recncil  d'  observ.  de 
Med.  Tom.  III.,  p.  308,  k  Paris,  1772.  Hagendorn,  as 
above.  Cent.  II.,  hist.  15.'* 

Pleurisy  and  Inflammation  in  the  Chest,  Pelargus,  as  above, 
p.  10."  Hagendorn,  as  above.  Cent.  III.,  Jiist.  58.    Giseke, 

"  A  5-year-old  girl  had  had  for  some  time  large  itch  vesicles  ou 
the  hands,  which  dried  up  of  themselves.  Shortly  after,  she  be- 
came sleepy  and  tired  and  was  seized  with  dyspnoea.  The  follow- 
ing day  the  asthma  continued  and  her  abdomen  became  distended. 

"  A  50-year-old  farmer,  who  had  been  long  tortured  with  the 
itch,  while  he  was  driving  it  out  by  external  applications,  was 
seized  with  a  dyspnoea,  a  loss  of  appetite  and  a  swelling  of  the 
whole  body. 

**  A  girl  in  Bologna  drove  away  the  itch  with  an  ointment  and 
■was  seized  with  the  most  severe  asthma  without  fever.  After  two 
blood-lettings  her  strength  decreased  so  much  and  the  asthma  was 
so  much  augmented  that  she  died  on  the  following  day.  The 
whole  chest  was  filled  with  bluish  water,  also  the  pericardium. 

*•  A  girl  of  9  years  with  the  tinea  capitis  had  it  driven  away, 
when  she  was  seized  with  a  lingering  fever,  a  general  swelling 
and  dyspnoea  ;  when  the  tinea  broke  out  again  she  recovered. 

"A  man  of  46  drove  out  his  itch  with  a  sulphur  ointment.  There- 
upon he  was  seized  with  inflammation  in  the  chest,  with  bloody 
expectoration,  dyspnoea  and  great  anguish.  The  following  day 
the  heat  and  the  anguish  became  almost  unbearable  and  the  pains 
in  the  chest  increased  on  the  third  day.  Then  sweat  broke  out. 
After  fourteen  days  the  itch  broke  out  again  and  he  felt  better. 
But  he  had  a  relapse,  the  itch  dried  up  again,  and  he  died  on  the 
thirteenth  day  after  the  relapse. 


54  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Havib.  A  bhandi. ,  p.  310.  Richard,  as  above.  Pelargus* 
as  above.  Jahrg.,  1721,  p.  23  and  114,"  and /rt/^r^., 
1723,  p.  29,*'  also  in  Jahrg.,  1722,  p.  459.""  Sennert, 
praxis  med.  lib.  II.,  P.  III.,  Cap.  6,  p.  380.  Jerzembsky, 
Diss.  Scabies  saliibris  in  hydrope,  Halae,  1777."  Karl 
Wenzel,  Die  NachkrankJieiten  vo7i  zuriickgetretener 
Krdtze,  Bamb.,  1826,  p.  49.'* 

Pleurisy  and  Cough,  Pelargus,  as  above,  Jahrg.,  1722,  p. 
79. '' 

Severe  Cough,  Richard,  as  above.  Juncker,  Conspect. 
med.  theor.  et  pract.  tab.,  76.  Hundertmark,  as  above, 
p.  23."'* 

Hemoptysis,  Phil.  Georg.  Schroeder,  Opusc.  II.,  p.  322. 
Richard,  as  above.     Binninger,  Obs.  Cent.  V.,  obs.  88. 

Hemoptysis  and  Consumption.  Chn.  Max.  Spener,  Diss,  de 
egro  febri  maligni  phthisi  complicata  laborante,  Giess, 

"A  thin  man  died  of  inflammation  in  the  chest  and  other  ail- 
ments twenty  days  after  driving  out  the  itch. 

''A  boy  of  7  years  whose  tinea  capitis  and  itch  dried  up,  died 
after  four  days  from  an  acute  fever  and  asthma  accompanied  by 
expectoration. 

^A  youth  who  removed  his  itch  with  a  lead  ointment,  died  four 
days  afterward  of  a  disease  of  the  chest. 

'''A  general  dropsy  was  quickly  cured  by  a  return  of  the  itch,  but 
when  this  was  suppressed  by  a  severe  cold,  pleurisy  supervened 
and  death  ensued  in  three  days. 

**A  young  peasant  was  attacked  with  acute  fever,  with  pleurisy 
and  dyspnoea,  six  days  after  driving  out  an  eruption  of  itch  with 
sulphur  ointment. 

''A  school  boy  of  13  years  was  seized  with  cough  and  stitches  in 
the  chest  when  his  itch  dried  up.  These  ailments  disappeared 
when  the  itch  broke  out  again. 

*'*A  man  of  36  years  had  the  itch  removed  sixteen  months  ago 
by  an  ointment  of  lead  and  mercury;  he  suffered  since  from  a 
whooping  cough  accompanied  by  great  anguish. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  55 

1699."  Baglio,  Opera,  p.  215.  Sicelius,  Praxis  casjial. 
Exerc.  III.,  Cas.  I.,  Frft.  et  Lips,  1743.^'  Morgagni,  as 
above,  XXL,  Art.  32.'*  Unzers,  Arzt  C  C  C,  p.  508." 
Karl  Wenzel,  as  above,  p.  32. 

Collection  of  Pus  in  the  Chest.  F.  A.  Waitz,  Medic.  Chi- 
rurg.  Atifsatz  Th.  L,  p.  114,  115.'*  Preval,  in  the 
Journal  de  Medec.,  LXL,  p.  491. 

Cysts  of  Pus  in  the  Intestines,  Krause.  Schubert,  Diss,  de 
scabie  humana.     Lips.  1779,  p.  23.'* 

Great  Degeneration  of  a  Great  Part  of  the  Intestines.  J.  H. 
Schulze,  in  Act.  Nat.  Cur.  Tom.,  1  obs.,  231.'° 

"A  youth  of  i8  years  had  the  itch,  which  he  finally  drove  away 
with  a  black -looking  lotion.  A  few  days  after  he  was  seized  with 
chills  and  heat,  lassitude,  oppression  of  the  heart,  headache, 
nausea,  violent  thirst,  cough  and  difficulty  in  breathing;  he  expec- 
torated blood,  commenced  to  speak  deliriously,  his  face  was  deadly 
pale  and  sunken,  the  urine  was  deep  red  without  sediment. 

^An  eruption  of  itch  in  a  youth  of  i8  years  driven  out  by  a  mer- 
curial plaster. 

^*Itch  which  disappeared  from  the  skin  of  itself  was  followed  by 
a  lingering  fever  and  fatal  expectoration  of  pus;  at  the  autopsy  the 
left  lung  was  found  full  of  pus. 

''^A  robust  looking  candidate  for  the  ministry  who  was  about  to 
preach  in  a  few  days  and  therefore  wished  to  free  himself  from  his 
old  itch,  rubbed  himself  one  day  with  itch  ointment  and  in  a  few 
hours,  soon  after  noon,  he  passed  away  with  anxiety,  dyspnoea  and 
tenesmus;  the  autopsy  showed  that  the  whole  of  the  lungs  was 
filled  with  liquid  pus. 

** Empyema  followed  the  driving  away,  through  external  means, 
of  an  eruption  of  itch  which  had  come  out  a  few  years  before,  and 
appeared  especiallj'  in  March  and  April. 

^''A  young  man  who  had  been  warned  by  (the  good  physician 
•  and)  Prof.  Krause  against  the  use  of  sulphur  ointment  for  the  re- 
appearing itch,  did  not  follow  his  advice,  but  rubbed  himself  with 
it,  when  he  died  of  constipation.  In  his  body,  at  the  autopsy,  were 
found  sacs  of  pus  in  his  abdominal  viscera. 

^"Also  the  diaphragm  and  the  liver  were  diseased. 


56  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Degeneration  of  the  Brain.  Dimenbrock,  Obs.  ct  Curat, 
med.,  obs.  60.  Bonet,  Sepulchretuni  anat..  Sect.  IV., 
obs.  1,  §  1"  and  §  2.''    J.  H.  Schulze,  as  above. 

Hydrocephalus,  Acta  helvet.,  V.,  p.  190. 

Ulcers  in  the  Stomach.  L.  Chn.  Juncker,  Diss,  de  s cable 
repulsa,  Halle,  1750,  p.  16.'' 

Sphacelus  of  the  Stomach  and  Duodenum.  Hundertmark,  as 
above,  p.  29." 

General  Dropsical  Swelling.'^ 

Dropsy  of  the  Chest.  Hessler  in  Karl  Wenzel,  as  above,  p. 
100  and  102. 


*'A  little  prince  of  two  years  had  his  tinea  capitis  driven  away; 
in  consequence,  after  his  death,  much  bloody  water  was  found  un- 
der his  skull. 

'■■'In  a  woman  who  had  driven  out  the  tinea  by  a  lotion,  one-half 
of  the  brain  was  found  putrefied  and  filled  with  yellow  humor. 

^A  man  of  rank,  of  a  cholerico-sanguine  temperament,  was  af- 
flicted  with  gouty  pains  of  the  abdomen  and  pains  as  from  gravel. 
After  the  removal  of  the  gout  through  various  reuiedies  the  itch 
broke  out,  which  he  drove  out  through  a  desiccating  bath  of  tan- 
bark;  an  ulcer  formed  on  his  stomach,  which,  as  the  autopsy 
showed,  hastened  his  death. 

**A  boy  of  7  weeks  and  a  youth  of  i8  years  died  very  suddenly 
from  an  itch  driven  out  through  a  sulphur  ointment.  At  the 
autopsy,  in  the  case  of  the  infant,  the  upper  part  of  the  stomach 
immediately  below  the  orifice  was  found  destroyed  by  gangrene, 
and  in  the  second  case  that  part  of  the  duodenum  into  which  the 
biliary  duct  and  the  pancreatic  duct  empty  was  found  similarly 
diseased.  A  similar  fatal  inflammation  of  the  stomach  from  driven- 
out  itch,  in  Morgagni,  as  above,  LV.,  art.  ii. 

*Of  this,  innumerable  cases  are  found  in  a  number  of  writers,  of 
which  I  only  desire  to  mention  the  one  reported  in  J.  D.  Pick, 
Exercitatio  med.  de  scabie  retropulsa,  Halle,  1710,  |  6,  where  an 
eruption  of  itch,  driven  out  by  application  of  mercury,  left  behind 
it  general  dropsy,  which  was  only  mitigated  by  the  re-appearance 
of  the  eruption. 

The  author  of  the  book  Epidemion  lib.  5,  No.  4,  who  gives  his 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  57 

Dropsy  of  the  Abdomen,  Richard,  as  above,  and  with  sev- 
eral other  observers. 

Swelling  of  the  Scrotum  (in  boys).  Fr.  Hoffman,  Med. 
rat.  syst..  III.,  p.  175. 

Red  Swelling  of  the  Whole  Body.  Lentilius,  Misc.  med. 
pract.,  Part  I.,  p.  176. 

Jaundice.  Baldinger,  Krankheiten  ein.  Armee,  p.  226. 
Joh.  Rud.  Camerarius,  Memorab.  Cent. ,  X. ,  §  65. 

Swelling  of  the  Parotid  Glands.  Barette,  in  the  Journal 
de  Med.,  XVIII.,  p.  169. 

Swelling  of  the  Cervical  Glands,  Pelargus,  as  above,  Jahrg., 
1723,  p.  593.''    Unzer,  Arzt.,  Part  VI.,  St.,  301." 

Obscuration  of  the  Eyes  and  Presbyopia,  Fr.  Hoffman,  Con- 
sult, med.,  1  Cas.  50.  * 

name  as  Hippocrates,  first  mentions  the  sad  result  of  such  a  case, 
where  an  Athenian  was  seized  by  a  violently  itching  eruption, 
spread  over  the  whole  body  and  especially  over  the  genital  organs; 
he  expelled  it  by  the  use  of  the  warm  baths  on  the  island  of  Melos, 
but  died  of  the  resulting  dropsy. 

'®A  boy  of  8  or  9  years,  who  had  been  shortly  before  healed  of 
tinea,  showed  many  swellings  of  the  glands  of  the  neck,  by  which 
his  neck  was  drawn  crooked  and  stiff. 

'^A  youth  of  14  years  had  the  itch  in  June,  1761.  He  rubbed  with 
a  gray  ointment  and  the  itch  passed  away.  Upon  this  the  glands 
behind  both  of  his  ears  swelled  up;  the  swelling  on  the  left  ear 
passed  away  of  itself,  but  the  right  one  in  five  months  became 
monstrously  enlarged  and  about  August  began  to  pain  him.  All 
the  glands  of  the  neck  were  swollen.  On  the  outside  the  large 
gland  was  full  of  hard  knots  and  without  sensitiveness,  but  inter- 
nally there  was  an  obtuse  pain,  especially  at  night;  at  the  same 
time  he  suffered  from  dyspncea  and  obstructed  deglutition.  All 
means  used  to  produce  suppuration  were  in  vain;  it  became  so 
large  that  the  patient  was  suffocated  in  the  year  1762. 

'*A  girl  of  13  years  was  seized  with  the  itch,  especially  on  the 
limbs,  in  the  face  and  on  the  pudenda;  this  was  finally  driven  away 
5 


58  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Inflammation  of  the  Eyes,  G.  W.  Wedel.  Snetter,  Diss,  de 
Ophthalmia,  Jen.,  1710.  Kallmann,  in  Koenigl.  Vetenskaps 
Handl.  f.  A.  X.,  p.  210."  G.  Chph.  Schiller,  de  scabie 
humida,  p.  42,  Erford.,  1747. 
Cataract,  Chn.  Gottlieb  Ludwig,  Advei-s.  med.  II.,  p.  157." 
Amaurosis,  Northof,  Diss,  de  scabie,  Getting.,  1792,  p. 
10.^'  Chn.  G.  Ludwig,  as  above."  Sennert,  prax.  lib.  III., 
Sect.  2,  Cap.  44.  Trecourt,  cJiirurg.  Wahrnehmungen, 
p.  173.,  Leipz.,  1777.  Fabricius  ab  Hilden,  Cent.  II.,  obs. 
39." 

by  ointments  of  zinc  and  sulphur,  whereupon  she  gradually  became 
weak  of  sight.  Little  dark  bodies  floated  before  her  eyes,  and  these 
could  also  be  seen  from  without  floating  in  the  aqueous  humor  of 
the  anterior  chamber  of  the  eye.  At  the  same  time  she  could  not 
recognize  small  bodies  except  with  spectacles.  The  pupils  were 
dilated. 

'^A  girl  had  a  violent  eruption  of  itch  on  the  legs,  with  large  ul- 
cers  in  the  bend  of  the  knee.  Being  attacked  with  smallpox  the 
itch  was  suppressed.  This  induced  a  humid  inflammation  of  the 
white  of  the  eye  and  of  the  eyelids,  with  itching  and  suppuration 
of  the  same,  and  the  vision  of  dark  bodies  floating  before  her  eyes; 
this  lasted  for  two  years.  Then  for  three  days  she  put  on  the 
stockings  of  a  child  afflicted  with  the  itch.  On  the  last  day  a  fever 
broke  out,  with  dry  cough,  tension  in  the  chest,  with  inclination 
to  vomit.  On  the  following  day  the  fever  and  the  tension  of  the 
chest  diminished  and  a  sweat  broke  out,  which  increased  until  ery- 
sipelas broke  out  on  both  legs,  and  on  the  following  day  these 
passed  over  into  the  real  itch.     The  eyes  then  improved. 

♦"A  man  whose  itch  had  been  driven  off,  but  who  was  of  robust 
constitution,  was  seized  with  cataract. 

"  From  itch  expelled  by  external  application  there  arose  amau- 
rosis, which  passed  away  when  the  eruption  re-appeared  on  the 
skin. 

"A  vigorous  man,  when  the  itch  had  been  expelled  from  the 
skin,  was  seized  with  amaurosis  and  remained  blind  to  an  advanced 
age. 

** Amaurosis  from  the  same  cause,  with  terrible  headache. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  59 

Deafness.  Thore  in  Capclle,  Journal  dc  Santr,  Tom.  I. 
Daniel,  Syst.  aegritiid.  II.,  p.  228.     Ludwig,  as  above. 

Inflammation  of  the  Bowels,  Hundertmark,  Diss,  de  scabie 
artificiali.  Lips.  1758,  p.  29. 

Piles,  Hemorrhoids,  Acta  Jielvet.  V.,  p.  192."  Daniel, 
Syst.  aegritiid.  II.,  p.  245.'' 

Abdominal  Complaints,  Fr.  Hoffmann,  Med.  rat.  syst.  III., 
p.  177.^' 

Diabetes  (Mellitaria),  Comment.  Lips.  XIV.,  p.  365. 
Eph.  Nat.  Cur.  Dec.  II.,  ann.  10,  p.  162.  C.  Weber, 
Obs.  f.  I.,  p.  26. 

Suppression  of  Urine,  Sennert,  Prax.  lib.  3,  p.  8.  Mor- 
gagni,  as  above,  XLL,  art.  2.*^ 

Erysipelas,  Unzer  Artz  Th.  V.,  St.  301.*' 

Discharges  of  acrid  humors.  Fr.  Hoffman,  Consult.  Tom. 
II.,  Cas.  125. 

**  Bleeding  piles  returned  every  month. 

**In  consequence  of  itch  driven  oflF  by  external  applications,  loss 
of  blood  up  to  eight  pounds  within  a  few  hours   colic,  fever,  etc. 

**After  the  expulsion  of  itch  a  most  violent  colic,  pain  in  the  re- 
gion of  the  left  lower  ribs,  restlessness,  lingering  fever,  anxiety 
and  obstinate  constipation. 

*''A  young  peasant  had  driven  off  the  itch  with  ointment,  and 
shortly  after  he  suflFered  from  suppression  of  urine,  vomiting,  and 
at  times  from  a  pain  in  the  left  loin.  Still  he,  after  a  while,  passed 
urine  a  few  times,  but  only  a  little,  of  dark  color  and  attended  with 
pains.  In  vaki  the  attempt  was  made  to  empty  it  with  a  catheter. 
At  last  the  whole  body  swelled  up,  difficult  and  slow  respiration 
ensued,  and  he  died  on  about  the  twenty-first  day  after  the  supres- 
sion  of  the  itch.  The  bladder  contained  two  pounds  of  urine  just 
as  dark,  but  the  abdominal  cavity,  water,  which  when  held  for 
awhile  over  the  fire  thickened  into  a  sort  of  albumen. 

*®A  man  rubbed  himself  with  mercurial  ointment  against  the  itch, 
when  there  followed  an  erysipelatous  inflammation  in  the  neck,  of 
which  he  died  after  five  weeks. 


60  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Ulcers,  Unzer  Arst.  T/i.  V..  St.  301/'  Pelargus,  as 
above,  Jahrg.,  1723,  p.  673.""  Breslauer  Samm.,  1727, 
p.  107."  Muzell,  Wahniehvi,  II.,  Cas.  6.''  Riedlin,  the 
son.  Cent.  obs.  38.^^  Alberti-Gorn,  Diss,  descabi.,  p.  24. 
Halle,  1718. 

Caries,  Richard,  as  above. 

Swelling  of  the  Bones  of  the  Knee.  Valsalva  in  Morgagni, 
de  sede  et  cans,  niorb.  I.  art.  13. 

Pain  in  the  Bones, //rt ;///;;/ r^rrJ/rt^(i:^.,  XVIII.,  p.  3,  253. 

Rachitis  and  Marasmus  in  Children,  Fr.  Hoffman.  Kinder- 
krankh.    Leipz.  17-41,  p.  132. 

Fever,  B.V.  Faventinus,  Medicinaempir.,  p.  260.  Ramaz- 
zini.  Cons  tit.  epid.  urbis.  II.  No.  32,  1691."  J.  C.  Carl 
in  Act.  Nat.  Cur.  VI.,  obs.  16. "^ 

*'  A  woman,  after  using  a  mercurial  ointment  against  itch,  had 
a  putrescent  eruption  all  over  her  body,  so  that  whole  pieces  of 
flesh  rotted  away  ;    she  died  in  a  few  days  with  the  greatest  pains. 

*"  A  youth  of  i6  years  had  the  itch  for  some  time  ;  when  this 
passed  away  ulcers  broke  out  on  the  legs 

^^  After  rubbing  with  an  ointment  against  the  itch  there  followed 
with  a  man  of  50  years  tearing  pains  in  the  left  shoulder  for  five 
weeks,  when  several  ulcers  broke  out  in  the  arm-pit. 

^^  A  quack  gave  a  student  an  ointment  for  the  itch,  from  which  it 
disappeared  indeed,  but  instead  of  it  an  incurable  ulcer  broke  out 
in  the  mouth. 

*3  A  student  who  had  been  for  a  long  time  afflicted  with  the  itch 
drove  it  off  with  an  ointment,  and  instead  of  this  there  broke  out 
ulcers  on  his  arms  and  legs,  and  glandular  swellings  in  the  arm- 
pits. These  ulcers  were  finally  cured  by  external  applications, 
when  he  was  seized  with  dyspnoea  and  then  with  dropsy,  and  from 
these  he  died. 

^*Many  observations  are  found  there,  respecting  cases  where  the 
itch,  being  driven  oifby  ointments,  there  followed  fever  and  black- 
ish urine,  and  where,  when  the  itch  was  brought  back  to  the  skin, 
the  fever  disappeared  and  the  urine  became  like  that  of  a  healthy 
person. 

*^A  man  and  a  woman  had  an  eruption  of  itch  on  the  hand,  of 
many  years'  standing,  and  as  often  as  it  dried  up  fever  always  en- 
sued, and  as  soon  as  this  came  to  an  end  the  eruption  of  itch  again 
returned;  and  yet  this  itch  extended  but  to  a  small  part  of  the 
body  and  was  not  driven  off  by  external  applications. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  61 

Fever,  Reil,  Memorab.  Fasc.  III.,  p.  169.'*  Pelargus, 
as  above;  Jahrg.,  1721,  p.  276,"  and  ibid.  JaJirg., 
1723.''  Amatus,  Lusit.  Cent.  II.,  Cor.,  33.  Schiller, 
Diss,  de  scabie  hiimida,  Erford,  1747,  p.  44.'*  J.  J. 
Fick,  Exercitatio  ined.  de  scabie  retropulsa,  Halle, 
1710,  §  2.*^  Felargus,  as  above,  Jahrg.,  Yim,  p.  122." 
PsXso  Jahrg.,  1723,  p.  10,  p.  14""  and  p.  291.     C.  G.  Lud- 


•*  Itch  was  suppressed  by  a  fever  that  set  in;  when  the  fever  was 
removed  it  returned. 

*'A  mother  put  ointment  on  the  h'nea  of  a  boy  of  nine  years; 
it  passed  away,  but  there  followed  a  violent  fever. 

**  A  child,  one  year  old,  had  had  for  some  time  iinea  capitis  and 
an  eruption  on  the  face;  both  these  had  shortly  before  dried  up, 
when  there  followed  heat,  cough  and  diarrhoea.  A  return  of  the 
eruption  on  the  head  gave  alleviation. 

*®A  woman  of  43  years,  long  afflicted  with  dry  itch,  rubbed  her 
joints  with  an  ointment  of  Sulphur  and  Mercury,  and  thus  drove  it 
off;  this  was  followed  by  pains  under  the  right  ribs,  lassitude  in  all 
the  limbs,  heat  and  feverish  irritation.  After  using  sudorific  rem- 
edies for  six  days,  large  vesicles  of  itch  broke  out  all  over  the 
body. 

*°Two  youths,  brothers,  drove  off  the  itch  by  one  and  the  same 
remedy,  but  they  lost  all  appetite,  a  dry  cough  and  a  lingering 
fever  set  in,  they  became  emaciated  and  fell  into  a  slumbrous 
stupor,  so  that  they  would  have  died  if  the  eruption  had  not 
luckily  re-appeared  on  the  skin. 

"  With  a  three-year-old  child  when  tinea  capitis  had  disappeared 
of  itself,  there  arose  a  violent  fever  on  the  chest,  cough  and  weari- 
ness, and  it  only  recovered  when  the  eruption  re-appeared  on  the 
head. 

**  A  journeyman  purse-maker,  who  had  to  make  some  embroid- 
ery, drove  off  his  frequent  itch  with  Lead  ointment.  Scarcely'  was 
the  itch  drying  off  in  consequence,  when  he  was  seized  with  chills, 
heat,  dyspnoea  and  a  rattling  cough,  of  which  he  suffocated  on  the 
fourth  day. 


62  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

wig,  A (/7rrs.  me{/.  U.,  pp.  157-160."  Morgagni,  as  ab., 
X.,  art.  9;"  XXI.,  art.  31;*"  XXXVIII.,  art.  22  f  LV., 
art.  3.^' 

^  A  vigorous,  healthy  man  of  30  years  was  taken  with  the  itch 
and  drove  the  eruption  from  the  skin,  but  was  then  seized  with  a 
catarrhal  fever  with  an  uncontrollable  perspiration;  he  was  slowly 
recovering  from  it  when  he  was  seized  without  any  further  cause 
by  another  fever.  The  attacks  began  with  anxiety  and  headache, 
and  increased  with  heat,  a  quick  pulse  and  morning  sweats.  There 
was  added  an  unusual  sinking  of  the  strength,  and  delirious  speech, 
anxious  tossing  about,  a  sobbing  respiration  with  suflFocation — a 
disease  which  despite  all  medicines  ended  with  death. 

**  With  a  boy  the  itch  passed  away  of  itself;  this  was  followed  by 
fever.  The  itch  now  appeared  more  violent  and  the  fever  passed 
away,  but  the  child  grew  thin,  and  when  the  itch  again  dried  up 
there  followed  diarrhoea,  convulsions  and  soon  afterwards  death. 

®^  Itch  disappeared  from  the  skin  of  itself,  on  which  lingering 
fever,  expectoration  of  pus  and  lastly  death  followed,  and  at  the 
autopsy  the  left  lungs  were  found  full  of  pus. 

®6  A  woman  of  30  years  had  for  a  long  time  pain  in  the  limbs  and 
a  strong  eruption  of  itch,  which  she  drove  off  with  ointment,  when 
she  was  attacked  by  fever  with  violent  heat,  thirst  and  raging 
headache,  which  was  accompanied  with  delirious  speech,  uncon- 
trollable dyspnoea,  tumefaction  of  the  body  and  great  distension  of 
the  abdomen.  She  died  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  fever.  The  abdo- 
men contained  much  air,  and  especially  the  stomach  was  distended 
with  air,  filling  half  of  the  abdomen. 

®'  A  man  whose  tinea  capitis  had  passed  off  from  intense  cold, 
was  seized  after  eight  days  with  a  malignant  fever,  with  vomiting, 
accompanied  at  last  with  hiccough;  he  died  in  consequence  on  the 
ninth  day. 

In  the  same  article  Morgagni  mentions  the  case  of  a  man  who, 
having  scabs  from  itch  on  the  arms  and  on  other  parts,  drove  off 
nearly  the  whole  eruption  by  a  sulphurated  shirt,  but  was  seized  at 
once  with  drawing  pains  on  the  whole  body  combined  with  fever, 
so  that  he  could  neither  rest  at  night  nor  move  about  in  the  day- 
time; also  the  tongue  and  the   fauces  were  thus  attacked.     With 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  63 

Fever.  Lanzonus,  in  EpJi.  Nat.  Cur.,  Dec.  III.,  ann. 
9  and  10,  obs.  16  and  113.  Hoechstetter,  Obs.  uicd.,  Dec. 
VIII.,  Cas.  8.**  Triller.  Wehle,  Diss,  nullavi  viedicinain 
interdum  esse  optimam,  Witemb.,  1754.*^  Pick,  as  ab., 
§  1.'°  Waldschmidt,  C'/^rrt.,  p.  241.  Gerbizius,  in  Kpli. 
Nat.  Cur.,  Dec.  III.,  ann.  2,  obs.  167.  Amatus,  Lusit., 
Cent.  II.,  Curat.  33.'^  Fr.  Hoffmann,  Med.  rat.  system, 
T.  III.,  p.  175." 

Tertian  Intermittent  Fever.  Pelargus,  as  ab.,  Jahrg., 
1722,  p.  103,  cfr.  with  p.  79."    Juncker,  as  ab.,  tab.  79; 

much  trouble  the  eruption  was  brought  out  again  on  the  skin,  and 
thus  his  health  was  restored. 

*^A  malignant  fever  with  opisthotonus  from  driving  off  the  itch. 

®^A  young  merchant  had  driven  off  the  itch  with  ointment,  when 
he  was  suddenly  seized  with  such  hoarseness  that  he  could  not 
speak  a  loud  word;  then  followed  dry  asthma,  loathing  of  food, 
severe  cough,  troublesome  especially  at  night  and  robbing  him  of 
sleep;  violent,  ill-smelling  nightsweats,  and,  despite  all  medical 
treatment,  death. 

'•'A  burgomaster,  60  years  of  age,  was  infected  with  the  itch,  and 
suffered  unspeakably  from  it  through  the  nights;  he  used  many 
medicines  in  vain,  and  at  last  was  taught  by  a  beggar  a  so-called 
infallible  remedy,  composed  oi  oleutn  laurhium,  flowers  of  sulphur 
and  lard.  Having  rubbed  with  this  several  times  he  was,  indeed, 
freed  from  the  eruption,  but  soon  after  he  was  seized  with  a  violent 
chill,  followed  by  an  excessive  heat  all  over  the  body,  vehement 
thirst,  a  gasping  asthma,  sleeplessness,  violent  trembling  all  over 
the  body  and  great  lassitude,  so  that  on  the  fourth  day  he  expired . 

"  From  the  same  cause  a  fever  combined  with  insanity,  precipi- 
tating death. 

"After  driving  off  itch,  most  frequently  acute  fevers  with  a  great 
sinking  of  the  strength  follow.  In  one  such  case  the  fever  lasted 
seven  days,  when  the  eruption  of  itch  re-appeared  and  stopped  the 
fever. 

"A  boy  of  15  years  for  a  long  time  had  titiea  capitis  and  had  re- 


64  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Eph.  Nat.  Cur.  Dec.  I.,  ami.  4.  Welsch,  Obs.  15.  Sau- 
vages,  Spec.  11.  De  Hautesierk,  Obs.,  Tom.  II.,  p.  300; 
Comment.  Lipsieiiscs  XIX.,  p.  297. 

Quartan  Fever,  Thorn.  Bartholinus,  Cap.  4,  hist.  35.  Sen- 
nert,  Paralip.,  p.  116.  Fr.  Hoffman,  Med.  rat.  system 
III.,  p.  175.'* 

Vertigo  and  a  Total  Sinking  of  the  Strength,  Gabelchofer, 
Obs.  Med.  Cent.  II.,  obs.  42. 

Vertigo  Like  Epilepsy,  Fr.  Hoffmann,  Consult.  Med.  I., 
Cas.  12.'" 

Epilepsy  Like  Vertigo,  Fr.  Hoffmann,  as  ab.,  p.  30.'* 

ceived  from  Pelargus  a  strong  purgative  to  cure  it;  he  was  seized 
with  pain  in  the  back,  cutting  pains  during  micturition,  followed 
by  tertian  fever. 

'*01d  people  have  especially  dry  itch,  and  if  this  is  driven  off  by 
external  applications,  usually  quartan  fever  ensues,  which  vanishes 
as  soon  as  the  itch  re-appears  on  the  skin. 

^*A  count,  57  years  old,  had  suffered  for  three  years  with  dry  itch. 
It  was  driven  off,  and  he  enjoyed  for  two  years  an  apparently  good 
health,  only  he  had  during  this  time  two  attacks  of  vertigo,  which 
gradually  so  increased  that  once  after  finishing  his  meal  he  was 
seized  with  such  vertigo  that  he  wOuld  have  fallen  to  the  floor  if 
he  had  not  been  supported.  He  was  covered  with  an  icy  perspira- 
tion, his  limbs  trembled,  all  the  parts  of  his  body  were  as  dead,  and 
he  repeatedly  vomited  up  a  sour  substance,  h.  similar  attack  fol- 
lowed six  weeks  later,  then  once  a  month  for  three  months.  He 
indeed  retained  consciousness,  but  there  always  followed  heaviness 
of  the  head  and  a  drunken  stupor.  At  last  these  attacks  came 
daily,  though  in  a  milder  form.  He  could  not  read,  nor  think,  nor 
turn  around  quickly,  nor  stoop  down.  This  was  attended  with 
sadness,  sorrowful,  anxious  thoughts  and  sighs. 

'*A  woman  of  36  years  had  the  itch  driven  from  the  skin  a  few 
years  before  with  mercurial  remedies.  Her  menses  became  irreg- 
ular, and  were  often  interrupted  for  ten  or  even  fifteen  weeks;  she 
was  at  the  same  time  constipated.     Four  years  ago  during  preg- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  65 

Convulsions,  Juncker,  as  ab.  tab.,  58.  Hoechstetter,  Eph. 
Nat.  Cur.  Dec.  8,  Cas.  3.  Eph.  nat.  citr.  dec.  2,  arm. 
obs.  35,  and  mm.  5,  obs.  224.  D.  W.  Triller.  Welle,  Diss, 
nullam  medicinavi  interduvi  esse  optimam,  Viteb.,  1754, 
§  X3,  14."  Sicelius,  Decas  Casiinm  I.,  Cas.  5.'*  Pelargus, 
asab.,/rt//r^.,  1723,  p.  545.'' 


nancy  she  was  seized  with  vertigo,  and  she  would  suddenly  fall 
down  while  standing  or  walking.  While  sitting  she  would  retain 
her  senses  during  the  vertigo  and  could  speak,  eat  and  drink.  At 
her  first  attack  she  felt  in  her  left  foot,  as  it  were,  a  crawling  sen- 
sation and  formication,  which  terminated  in  a  violent  jerking  up 
and  down  of  the  feet.  In  time  these  attacks  took  away  conscious- 
ness, and  afterwards,  in  traveling  in  a  carriage,  there  came  an  at- 
tack of  real  epilepsy,  which  returned  thrice  in  the  following  win- 
ter. During  these  attacks  she  could  not  speak;  she  did  not,  in- 
deed, turn  her  thumbs  inward,  but  yet  there  was  foam  at  her 
mouth.  The  sensation  of  formication  in  the  left  foot  announced 
the  attack,  and  when  this  sensation  reached  the  pit  of  the  stomach 
it  suddenly  brought  on  the  fit  This  epilepsy  was  removed  by  a 
woman  with  five  powders,  but  instead  of  it  her  veitigo  re-appeared, 
but  much  more  violently  than  before.  It  also  commenced  with  a 
crawling  sensation  in  the  left  foot,  which  rose  up  to  the  heart;  this 
was  attended  with  great  anxiety  and  fear,  as  if  she  were  falling 
down  from  a  height,  and  while  supposing  that  she  had  fallen  she 
lost  consciousness  and  speech;  at  the  same  time  her  limbs  moved 
convulsively.  But,  also,  outside  of  these  attacks  the  least  touch  of 
her  feet  caused  her  the  most  intense  pain,  as  if  from  a  boil.  This 
was  attended  with  severe  pains  and  heat  in  the  head  and  with  loss 
of  memory. 

"After  an  itch  driven  away  by  ointment  there  followed,  with  a 
girl,  a  most  profound  swoon,  and  soon  after  the  most  terrible  con- 
vulsions and  death. 

'*A  girl  of  17,  in  consequence  of  tinea  capitis  which  disappeared 
of  itself,  was  seized  with  continual  heat  in  the  head  and  attacks 
of  headache.  She  sometimes  suddenly  started  up  as  if  from  frijiht, 
and  while  awake  she  was  seized  with  convulsive  motions  of  the 
limbs,  especially  of  the  arms  and  hands,  as  also  with  oppression  in 
the  pit  of  the  stomach,  as  if  her  breast  was  laced  together,  with 
moaning;  then  her  limbs  would  jerk  convulsively  and  she  would 
start  up. 

'"A  full-grown  man  who  had  been  for  some  time  affected  with 
tremor  of  the  hands  had  his  tiyiea  dry  up.  He  was  thereupon 
seized  with  great  lassitude  and  red  patches,  without  heat,  broke 
out  on  his  body.     The  tremor  passed  over  into  convulsive  shaking, 


66  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Epileptic  Convulsions  and 

Epilepsy,  J.  C.  Carl  in  Act.  Nat.  Cur.  VI.,  obs.  16.'°  E. 
Hagendorn,  as  above,  hist.  9.*'  Fr.  Hoffmann,  Consult, 
vied.  I.,  Cas.  ^\f^  ibid.  rned.  rat.  syst.  T.  IV.,  P.  III., 
Cap.  I.,  and  in  Kinderkrankheitcn,  p.  108.  Sauvages, 
Nosol.  spec.  11.  De  Hautesierk,  obs.  T.  11.,  p.  300.  Sen- 
nert,  prax.  III.,  Cap.  44.  Eph.  Nat.  Cur.  Dec.  III., 
ann.  2,  obs.  29.  Grilling,  obs.  Med.  Cent.  III.,  obs.  73. 
Th.  Bartolin,  Cent.  III.,  hist.  20.  Fabr.  de  Hilden,  Cent. 
III.,  obs.  10.''  Riedlin,  lin.  med.  ann.,  1696,  Maj.  obs. 
1.'*  Lentilius,  Mis  cell.  med.  pr.,  P.  I.,  p.  32.  G.  W. 
Wedel,  Diss,  de  aegro  epileptico,  Jen.,  1673. **  Herrm. 
Grube,  de  arcanis  medicorum  non  arcanis,  Hafn.,  1673, 


bloody  matter  was  discharged  from  his  nose  and  his  ears,  he  also 
coughed  up  blood,  and  he  died  on  23d  day  amidst  convulsions. 

'"A  man  who  had  driven  off  a  frequently  occurring  eruption  of 
itch  with  an  ointment  fell  into  epileptic  convulsions,  which  disap- 
peared again  when  the  eruption  re-appeared  on  the  skin. 

*^A  youth  of  18  years  drove  off  the  itch  with  a  mercurial  oint- 
ment and  two  months  after  he  was  unexpectedly  seized  with  con- 
vulsions, which  attacked  all  the  limbs  of  the  body,  now  this,  now 
that,  with  painful  constriction  of  the  breast  and  the  neck,  coldness 
of  the  limbs  and  great  weakness.  The  fourth  day  he  was  seized 
with  epilepsy,  foaming  at  the  mouth,  while  the  limbs  were 
strangely  contorted.  The  epilepsy  only  yielded  when  the  eruption 
returned. 

8' With  a  boy,  whose  tinea  had  been  driven  off  by  rubbing  it  with 
almond  oil. 

*^  With  children,  combined  with  suffocating  catarrh. 

^A  servant  girl  after  twice  rubbing  her  itch  with  ointment  had 
an  attack  of  epilepsy. 

*»A  youth  of  18,  who  had  driven  out  itch  with  mercurial  rem- 
edies, was  seized  a  few  weeks  later  with  epilepsy,  which  returned 
after  four  weeks  with  the  new  moon. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  67 

p.  165.^  Tulpius,  obs.  lib.  I.,  Cap.  8.^'  Th.  Thompson, 
Medic.  Rathpjlege,  Leipzig,  1779,  pp.  107,  108.**  Hun- 
dertmark,  as  ab.,  p.  32.*®  Fr.  Hoffmann,  Consult,  uicd.  I., 
Cas.  28,  p.  141.'° 

**A  boy  of  7  months  was  seized  with  epilepsy,  while  the  parents 
were  unwilling  to  acknowledge  that  he  had  had  the  itch.  But 
when  the  physician  enquired  more  particularly  the  mother  con- 
fessed that  the  little  boy  had  some  vesicles  of  itch  on  the  sole  of 
the  foot,  which  had  soon  yielded  to  lead  ointment;  the  child,  as 
she  said,  had  no  other  sign  of  the  itch.  The  physician  correctly 
recognized  in  this  the  only  cause  of  the  epilepsy. 

®'Two  children  were  freed  from  epileps}'  by  the  breaking  out  of 
humid  tinea,  but  the  epilepsy  returned  when  the  tinea  was  incau- 
tiously driven  off. 

*® Five-year-old  itch  passed  away,  and  this,  after  several  years, 
produced  epilepsy. 

**The  itch  in  a  youth  of  20  years  was  suppressed  by  a  purgative, 
which  was  allowed  to  act  violently  for  several  days,  after  which  he 
for  two  years  suffered  the  most  violent  convulsions,  until,  through 
the  use  of  birch-juice,  the  itch  was  brought  back  to  the  skin. 

""A  young  man  of  17  years,  of  vigorous  constitution  and  good  in- 
telligence, was  attacked  three  jears  ago,  after  itch  had  been  driven 
out,  first  by  hemoptysis  and  then  by  epilepsy,  which  grew  worse 
through  medicines  until  the  fits  came  on  every  two  hours.  An- 
other surgeon,  through  frequent  blood-lettings  and  many  medi- 
cines, effected  that  he  remained  free  from  epilepsy  for  four  weeks, 
but  soon  afterwards  the  epilepsy  returned  while  he  was  taking  his 
noon-day  nap,  and  the  patient  had  two  or  three  fits  in  the  night; 
at  the  same  time  he  was  attacked  with  a  very  severe  cough  and 
suflFocating  catarrh,  especially  during  the  nights,  when  he  expec- 
torated a  very  fetid  fluid.  He  was  confined  to  his  bed.  At  last, 
after  much  medicine,  the  disease  increased  so  much  that  he  had 
ten  fits  at  night  and  eight  during  the  day.  Nevertheless  he  never 
in  these  fits  either  clenched  his  hands  or  had  foam  at  his  mouth. 
His  memory  is  weakened.  The  attacks  come  at  the  approach  of 
meal-time,  but  more  frequently  after  meals.  During  his  nightly 
attacks  he  remains  in  the  deepest  sleep  without  awaking,  but  in 


68  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Apoplexy.  Cummius  in  Eph.  Nat.  Cur.  Dec.  I.,  ann.l, 
obs.  58.  Mobius,  Institut.  med.,  p.  65.  J.  J.  Wepfer,  His- 
tor.  Apoplect.  Amstel.,  1724,  p.  457. 

Paralysis,  Hoechstetter,  Obs.  med.  Dec.  VIII.,  obs.  8,  p. 
245.  Journal  de  Med.,  1760,  Sept.,  p.  211.  Unzer  Arst 
VI.,  Sl  301.''  Hundertmark,  as  above,  p.  33.''  Krause. 
Schubert,  Diss,  de  scabie  Jiumani  corp.,  Lips.,  1779,  p. 
23.''    Karl  Wenzel,  as  above,  p.  174. 

Melancholy,  Reil,  Memorab.  Fasc.,  III.,  p.  177.'* 

Insanity,  Landais  in  Roux,  Joum.  de  Medicine,  Tom.  41. 
Amat.  Lusitanus,  Curat,  med.  Cent.  II.,  Cur.  74.  J.  H. 
Schulze,  Brune,  Diss.  Casus  aliquot  inentc  alienatorum, 
Halle,  1707.     Cas.  1,  p.  5.'^    F.  H.  Waitz,  medic. -chirurg. 

the  morning  he  feels  as  if  bruised  all  over.  The  only  warning  of  a 
fit  consists  in  his  rubbing  his  nose  and  drawing  up  his  left  foot,  but 
then  he  suddenly  falls  down. 

**A  woman,  after  having  the  itch  driven  out,  had  paralysis  of  one 
leg  and  remained  lame. 

*^After  driving  off  the  itch  with  sulphur  ointment,  a  man  of  53 
years  had  hemiplegia. 

®^A  minister,  who  for  a  long  time  had  in  vain  used  internal  rem- 
edies against  the  itch,  finally  grew  tired  of  it  and  drove  it  off  with 
ointment,  when  his  upper  extremities  were,  in  a  measure,  paralyzed 
and  a  liard,  thick  skin  formed  in  the  palms  of  the  hands,  full  of 
bloody  chaps  and  insufTerable  itching. 

In  the  same  place  the  author  mentions  also  a  woman  whose  fin- 
gers contracted  from  an  itch  driven  out  by  external  means;  she 
suffered  from  them  a  long  time. 

'*He  found  an  idiotic  melancholy  arise  in  consequence  of  sup- 
pressed itch;  when  the  itch  broke  out  again  the  melancholy  disap- 
peared. 

*^A  student,  20  years  old,  had  the  humid  itch,  which  so  covered 
his  hands  that  he  became  incapable  of  attending  to  his  work.  It 
was  driven  off  by  sulphur  ointment.  But  shortly  after  it  appeared 
how  much  his  health  had  suffered  from  it.      He  became  insane. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  69 

Aufsatze,  Th.  1,  p.  130.''  Altenburg,  1791.  Richter  in 
Hufel.  Journal,  XV.,  II.  Grossmann  in  Baldinger's  neucui 
Magaz.,  XI.,  I."' 

Who,  after  meditating  on  even  these  few  examples 
which  might  be  much  increased  from  the  writings  of 
the  physicians  of  that  time  and  from  m}-  experi- 
ence,* would  remain  so  thoughtless  as  to  ignore  the 


sang  or  laughed  where  it  was  unbecoming,  and  ran  until  he  sank 
to  the  ground  from  exhaustion.  From  day  to  day  he  became  more 
sick  in  soul  and  body,  until  at  last  hemiplegia  came  on  and  he 
died.  The  intestines  were  found  grown  together  into  a  firm  mass, 
studded  with  little  ulcers  full  of  protuberances,  some  of  the  size  of 
walnuts,  which  were  filled  with  a  substance  resembling  gypsum. 

^The  same  story. 

'^A  man  of  50  years  with  whom,  after  driving  away  the  itch  by 
ointments,  general  dropsy  had  set  in;  when  the  itch  re-appeared 
and  drove  away  the  swelling,  he  drove  it  away  again,  when  he  fell 
into  raving  madness,  while  head  and  neck  swelled  up  to  suffoca- 
tion; at  last  blindness  and  complete  suppression  of  urine  were 
added.  Artificial  irritants  applied  to  the  skin  and  a  strong  emetic 
brought  back  the  itch  again;  when  the  eruption  extended  over  the 
whole  body  all  the  former  accidents  disappeared. 

*An  opponent,  of  the  old  school,  has  reproached  me  that  I  have 
not  adduced  my  own  experience  to  prove  that  the  chronic  mala- 
dies, when  they  are  not  of  syphilitic  or  sycotic  origin,  spring  from 
the  miasma  of  itch,  as  such  proofs  from  experience  would  have 
been  convincing.  Oho!  If  the  examples  here  adduced  by  me  from 
both  the  older  and  from  modern  non-Homoeopathic  writings  have 
not  yet  enough  convincing  proof,  I  should  like  to  know  what 
other  examples  (even  my  own  not  excepted)  could  be  conceived  of  as 
more  striking  proofs  ?  How  often  (and  I  might  say  almost  always) 
have  opponents  of  the  old  school  refused  all  credence  to  the 
observations  of  honorable  Homoeopathic  physicians,  because  thej' 
were  not  made  before  their  own  eyes  and  because  the  names  of 
the  patients  were  only  indicated  with  a  letter;  as  if  private  pa- 
tients would  allow  their  names  to  be  used!  Why  should  I  endure 
the  like?  And  do  I  not  prove  my  point  in  a  manner  most  indu- 
bitable and  most  free  from  partisanship  through  the  experience  of 
so  many  other  honest  practitioners? 


70  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

great  evil  hidden  within,  the  Psora,  of  which  evil  the 
eruption  of  itch  and  its  other  forms,  the  titiea  capitis, 
milk  crust,  tetter,  etc.,  are  only  indications  announc- 
ing the  internal,  monstrous  disease  of  the  whole 
organism,  only  local  external  symptoms  which  act 
vicariously  and  mitigatingly  for  the  internal  disease  .■' 
Who,  after  reading  even  the  few  cases  described, 
would  hesitate  to  acknowledge  that  the  Psora,  as 
alread}-  stated,  is  the  most  destructive  of  all  chronic 
miasmas }  Who  would  be  so  stolid  as  to  declare,  with 
the  later  allopathic  physicians,  that  the  itch-eruption, 
tinea  and  tetters  are  only  situated  superficially  upon 
the  skin  and  may,  therefore,  without  fear,  be  driven 
out  through  external  means  since  the  internal  of  the 
body  has  no  part  in  it  and  retains  its  health .'' 

Surely,  among  all  the  crimes  which  the  modern  phy- 
sicians of  the  old  school  are  guilty  of,  this  is  the  most 
hurtful,  shameful  and  unpardonable! 

The  man  who,  from  the  examples  given  and  from 
innumerable  others  of  a  like  nature,  is  not  willing  to 
see  the  exact  opposite  of  that  assertion  blinds  himself 
on  purpose  and  works  intentionally  for  the  destruction 
of  mankind. 

Or  are  they  so  little  instructed  as  to  the  nature  of  all 
the  miasmatic  maladies  connected  with  diseases  of  the 
skin  that  they  do  not  know  that  they  all  take  a  similar 
course  in  their  origin  }  And  that  all  such  miasmas  be- 
come first  internal  maladies  of  the  whole  system  be- 
fore their  external  assuaging  symptoms  appear  on  the 
skin  .-* 

We  shall  more  closel}'  elucidate  this  process,  and  in 
consequence  we  shall  see  that  all  miasmatic  maladies 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  71 

which  show  pecuHar  local  ailments  on  the  skin  are 
always  present  as  internal  maladies  in  the  system  be- 
fore they  show  their  local  symptoms  externally  upon 
the  skin  ;  but  that  only  in  acute  diseases,  after  taking 
their  course  through  a  certain  number  of  days,  the 
local  symptom,  together  with  the  internal  disease,  is 
wont  to  disappear,  which  then  leaves  the  body  free 
from  both.  In  chronic  miasmas,  however,  the  outer 
local  symptoms  may  either  be  driven  from  the  skin  or 
may  disappear  of  itself,  while  the  internal  disease,  if 
uncured,  neither  wholly  nor  in  part  ever  leaves  the 
system;  on  the  contrary,  it  continually  increases  with 
the  years,  unless  healed  by  art. 

I  must  here  dwell  the  more  circumstantially  on  this 
process  of  nature,  because  the  common  physicians,  es- 
pecially of  modern  days,  are  so  deficient  in  vision;  or, 
more  correctly  stated,  so  blind  that  although  they 
could,  as  it  were,  handle  and  feel  this  process  in  the 
origin  and  development  of  acute  miasmatic  eruptional 
diseases,  they  nevertheless  neither  surmised  nor  ob- 
served the  like  process  in  chronic  diseases,  and  there- 
fore declared  their  local  symptoms  as  secondary 
growths  and  impurities  existing  merely  externally  on 
the  skin,  without  any  internal  fundamental  disease,  and 
this  as  well  with  the  chancre  and  the  fig-wart  as  with 
the  eruption  of  itch,  and,  therefore — since  they  over- 
looked the  chief  disease  or  perhaps  even  boldly  denied 
it — by  a  mere  external  treatment  and  destruction  of 
these  local  ailments  they  have  brought  unspeakable 
misfortunes  on  suffering  humanity. 

With  respect  to  the  origin  of  these  three  chronic 
maladies,  as   in   the   acute,  miasmatic  eruptional  dis- 


72  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

eases,  three  different  important  moments  are  to  be 
more  attentively  considered  than  has  hitherto  been 
done:  First,  the  time  of  infection;  secondly,  the  period 
of  time  during  which  the  whole  organism  is  being 
penetrated  by  the  disease  infused,  until  it  has  de- 
veloped within;  and  thirdly,  the  breaking  out  of  the 
external  ailment,  whereby  nature  externally  demon- 
strates the  completion  of  the  internal  development  of 
the  miasmatic  malady  throughout  the  whole  organism. 

The  infection  with  miasmas,  as  well  of  the  acute  as 
of  the  above  mentioned  chronic  diseases,  takes  place, 
without  doubt,  in  one  single  moment,  and  that  moment, 
the  one  most  favorable  for  infection. 

When  the  small-pox  or  the  cow-pox  catches,  this 
happens  in  the  moment  when  in  vaccination  the  mor- 
bid fluid  in  the  blood}'  scratch  of  the  skin  comes  in 
contact  with  the  exposed  nerve,  which  then,  irrevoc- 
ably, dynamically  communicates  the  disease  to  the 
vital  force  (to  the  whole  nervous  system)  in  the  same 
moment.  After  this  moment  of  infection  no  ablution, 
cauterizing  or  burning,  not  even  the  cutting  off  of  the 
part  which  has  caught  and  received  the  infection,  can 
again  destroy  or  undo  the  development  of  the  disease 
within.  Small-pox,  cow-pox,  measles,  etc.,  neverthe- 
less will  complete  their  course  within,  and  the  fever 
peculiar  to  each  will  break  out  with  its  small-pox,  cow- 
pox,  me2is\es,^  etc.,  after  a  few  days,  when  the  internal 
disease  has  developed  and  completed  itself. 

*We  may  justly  ask:  Is  there  in  any  probability  any  miasma 
in  the  world,  which,  when  it  has  infected  from  without,  does  not 
first  make  the  whole  organism  sick  before  the  signs  of  it  externally 
manifest  themselves?  We  can  only  answer  this  question  with,  no, 
there  is  none! 


Hahnemann's"  chronic  diseases.  73 

The  same  is  the  case,  not  to  mention  several  other 
acute  miasmas,  also  when  the  skin  of  man  is  con- 
taminated with  the  blood  of  cattle  affected  with 
anthrax.  If,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  the  anthrax 
has  infected  and  caught  on,  all  ablutions  of  the  skin 
are  in  vain;  the  black  or  gangrenous  blister,  nearly 
always  fatal,  nevertheless,  always  comes  out  after  four 
or  five  days  (usually  in  the  affected  spot);  i.  e.,  as 
soon  as  the  whole  living  organism  has  transformed 
itself  to  this  terrible  disease. 

(It  is  just  so  with  the  infection  of  half-acute  miasmas 
without  eruption.  Among  many  persons  bitten  by 
mad  dogs — thanks  to  the  benign  ruler  of  the  world — 
only  few  are  infected,  rarely   the  twelfth;  often,  as  I 

Does  it  not  take  three,  four  or  five  days  after  vaccination  is  ef- 
fected, before  the  vaccinated  spot  becomes  inflamed  ?  Does  not 
the  sort  of  fever  developed — the  sign  of  the  completion  of  the  dis- 
ease— appear  even  later,  when  the  protecting  pock  has  been  fully 
formed;  i.  e.,  on  the  seventh  or  eighth  day? 

Does  it  not  take  ten  to  twelve  days  after  infection  with  small- 
pox, before  the  inflammatory  fever  and  the  outbreak  of  the  small- 
pox on  the  skin  take  place  ? 

What  has  nature  been  doing  with  the  infection  received  in  these 
ten  or  twelve  days?  Was  it  not  necessary  to  first  embody  the  dis- 
ease in  the  whole  organism  before  nature  was  enabled  to  kindle 
the  fever,  and  to  bring  out  the  eruption  on  the  skin  ? 

Measles  also  require  ten  or  twelve  days  after  infection  or  inocu- 
lation before  this  eruption  with  its  fever  appears.  After  infection 
with  scarlet  fever  seven  daj-s  usually  pass  before  the  scarlet  fever, 
with  the  redness  of  the  skin,  breaks  out. 

What  then  did  nature  do  with  the  received  miasma  during  the 
intervening  days?  What  else  but  to  incorporate  the  whole  disease 
of  measles  or  scarlet  fever  in  the  entire  living  organism  before  she 
had  completed  the  work,  so  as  to  be  enabled  to  produce  the  mea- 
sles and  the  scarlet  fever  with  their  eruption. 
6 


74  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

myself  have  observed,  only  one  out  of  twenty  or  thirty 
persons  bitten.  The  others,  even  if  ever  so  badly 
mangled  by  the  mad  dog,  usually  all  recover,  even  if 
they  are  not  treated  by  a  physician  or  surgeon.*)  But 
with  whomsoever  the  poison  acts,  it  has  taken  effect 
in  the  moment  when  the  person  was  bitten,  and  the 
poison  has  then  communicated  itself  to  the  nearest 
nerves  and,  therefore,  without  contradiction,  to  the 
whole  system  of  the  nerves,  and  as  soon  as  the  malady 
has  been  developed  in  the  whole  organism  (for  this 
development  and  completion  of  the  disease  nature  re- 
quires at  least  several  days,  often  many  weeks),  the 
madness  breaks  out  as  an  acute,  quickly  fatal  disease. 
Now  if  the  venomous  spittle  of  the  mad  dog  has  really 
taken  effect,  the  infection  usually  has  taken  place  irre- 
vocably in  the  moment  of  contagion,  for  experience 
shows  that  even  the  immediate  excisionf  and  amputa- 
tion of  the  infected  part  does  not  protect  from  the 
progression  of  the  disease  within,  nor  from  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  hydrophobia — therefore,  also,  the  many 

*  We  are  indebted  especially  to  the  careful  English  and  Ameri- 
can physicians  for  these  comforting  experiences — to  HUNTER  and 
HouiySTON  (in  Londoti  Med.  Journal,  Vol.  I.),  and  to  Vaughan, 
Shadwki,l  and  Percivai,,  whose  observations  are  recorded  in 
Jam.  Mease's  "  On  the  Hydrophobia,  Philadelphia,  1793." 

t  An  eight-year-old  girl,  in  Glasgow,  was  bitten  by  a  mad  dog  on 
the  2 1st  of  March,  1792.  A  surgeon  immediately  exseded  the 
wound  altogether,  kept  it  suppurating  and  gave  Mercury  until  it 
produced  a  mild  salivation,  which  was  kept  up  for  two  weeks; 
nevertheless  hydrophobia  broke  out  on  the  27th  of  April  and  the 
patient  died  on  the  29th  of  April.  M.  Duncan's  Med.  Comment, 
Dec.  II.,  Vol.  VII.,  Edinb.,  1793,  and  The  New  London  Med, 
Tourn.,  II. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  75 

hundreds  of  other  much  lauded  external  means  for 
cleansing,  cauterizing  and  suppurating  the  wound  of 
the  bite  can  protect  just  as  little  from  the  breaking 
out  of  the  hydrophobia. 

From  the  progress  of  all  these  miasmatic  diseases 
we  may  plainly  see  that,  after  the  contagion  from 
without,  the  malady  connected  with  it  in  the  interiors 
of  the  whole  man  must  first  be  developed;  /.  c,  the 
whole  interior  man  must  first  have  become  thoroughly 
sick  of  small-pox,  measles  or  scarlet  fever,  before  these 
various  eruptions  can  appear  on  the  skin. 

For  all  these  acute  miasmatic  diseases  the  human 
constitution  possesses  that  process,  which,  as  a  rule,  is 
so  beneficent:  to  wipe  them  out  (/.  e.,  the  specific  fever 
together  with  the  specific  eruption)  in  the  course  of 
from  two  to  three  weeks,  and  of  itself  to  extinguish 
them  again,  through  a  kind  of  decision  {crisis),  from 
the  organism,  so  that  man  then  is  wont  to  be  entirely 
healed  of  them  and,  indeed,  in  a  short  time,  unless  he 
be  killed  by  them.* 

*Or  have  these  various,  acute,  half-spiritual  miasms  the  peculiar 
characteristic  that — after  they  liave  penetrated  the  vital  force  in 
the  first  moment  of  the  contagion  (and  each  one  in  its  own  way 
has  produced  disease)  and  then,  like  parasites,  have  quickly  grown 
up  within  it  and  have  usually  developed  themselves  by  their  pecu- 
liar fever  after  producing  their  fruit  (the  mature  cutaneous  erup- 
tion which  is  again  capable  of  producing  its  miasma) — they  again 
die  out  and  leave  the  living  organism  again  free  to  recover? 

On  the  other  hand,  are  not  the  chronic  miasmas  disease-parasites, 
which  continue  to  live  as  long  as  the  man  seized  by  them  is  alive, 
and  which  have  their  fruit  in  the  eruption  originally  produced  by 
them  (the  itch-pustule,  the  chancre  and  the  fig- wart,  which  in  turn 
are  capable  of  infecting  others),  and  which  do  not  die  off  of  them- 
selves like  the  acute  miasmas,  but  can  only  be  exterminated  and 


76  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

In  the  chronic  miasmatic  diseases  nature  observes 
the  same  course  with  respect  to  the  mode  of  contagion 
and  the  antecedent  formation  of  the  internal  disease, 
before  the  external  declarative  symptoms  of  its  inter- 
nal completion  manifests  itself  on  the  surface  of  the 
body,  but  then  that  great  remarkable  difference  from 
the  acute  diseases  shows  itself,  that  in  the  chronic 
miasmata  the  entire  internal  disease,  as  we  have  men- 
tioned before,  remains  in  the  organism  during  the 
whole  life,  yea,  it  increases  with  every  year,  if  it  is  not 
exterminated  and  thoroughly  cured  by  art. 

Of  these  chronic  miasmata  I  shall  for  this  purpose 
only  adduce  those  two  which  we  know  somewhat  more 
exactly,  namely,  the  venereal  chancre  and  the  itch. 

In  impure  coition  there  arises,  most  probably  at  the 
very  moment  in  the  spot  which  is  touched  and  rubbed, 
the  specific  contagion. 

If  this  contagion  has  taken  effect,  then  the  whole 
living  body  is  in  consequence  seized  with  it.  Immedi- 
ately after  the  moment  of  contagion  the  formation  of 
the  venereal  disease  in  the  whole  of  the  interior  begins. 

In  that  part  of  the  sexual  organs  where  the  infection 
has  taken  place  nothing  unnatural  is  noticed  in  the  first 
days,  nothing  diseased,  inflamed  or  corroded;  so  also 
all  washing  and  cleansing  of  the  parts  immediately 
after  the  impure  coition  is  in  vain.  The  spot  remains 
healthy  according  to  appearance,  only  the  internal  or- 
ganism is  called  into  activity  by  the  infection  (which 

annihilated  by  a  counter-infection^  by  means  of  the  potency  of  a 
medicinal  disease  quite  similar  to  it  and  stronger  than  it  (the  anti- 
psoric),  so  that  the  patient  is  delivered  from  them  and  recovers  his 
health? 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  77 

occurs  usually  in  a  moment),  so  as  to  incorporate  the 
venereal  miasma  and  to  become  thoroughly  diseased 
with  the  venereal  malad}'. 

Only  when  this  penetration  of  all  the  organs  by  the 
disease  caught  has  been  effected,  only  when  the  whole 
being  has  been  changed  into  a  man  entirely  venereal, 
i.  e.,  when  the  development  of  the  venereal  disease  has 
been  completed,  only  then  diseased  nature  endeavors 
to  mitigate  the  internal  evil  and  to  soothe  it  by  pro- 
ducing a  local  symptom,  which  first  shows  itself  as  a 
vesicle  (usually  in  the  spot  originally  infected),  and 
later  breaks  out  into  a  painful  ulcer  called  the  chancre; 
this  does  not  appear  before  five,  seven  or  fourteen 
days,  sometimes,  though  rarely,  not  before  three,  four 
or  five  weeks  after  the  infection.  This  is,  therefore, 
manifestly  a  chancre  ulcer,  which  acts  vicariously  for 
the  internal  malady,  and  which  has  been  produced 
from  within  by  the  organism  after  it  has  become  vene- 
real through  and  through,  and  is  able  through  its  touch 
to  communicate  also  to  other  men  the  same  miasma,  i. 
e.,  the  venereal  disease. 

Now,  if  the  entire  disease  thus  arising  is  again  extin- 
guished through  the  internally  given  specific  remedy, 
then  the  chancre  also  is  healed  and  the  man  recoveis. 

But  if  the  chancre  is  destroj^ed  through  local  appli- 
tions*  before  the  internal  disease  is  healed — and  this  is 

*The  venereal  disease  not  only  breaks  out  through  the  removal 
of  the  chancre  by  the  cautery — iu  which  case  some  wretched  casu- 
ists have  considered  syphilis  as  resulting  from  the  driving  back  of 
the  poison  out  of  the  chancre  into  the  interior  of  the  body,  which 
up  to  this  time  is  supposed  by  them  to  have  been  healthy — no,  even 
after  the  quick  removal  of  the  chancre  without  any  external  stimu- 


78  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

still  a  daily  practice  with  physicians  of  the  old  school 
— the  miasmatic,  chronic,  venereal  disease  remains  in 
the  organism  as  syphilis,  and  it  is  aggravated,  if  not 
then  cured  internally,  from  year  to  year  until  the  end 
of  man's  life,  even  the  most  robust  constitution  being 
unable  to  annihilate  it  within  itself. 

Only  through  the  cure  of  the  venereal  disease,  which 
pervades  the  whole  internal  of  the  body  (as  I  have 
taught  and  practiced  for  many  years),  the  chancre,  its 
local  symptom,  will  also  simultaneously  be  cured  in  the 
most  effective  manner,  and  this  is  best  affected  without 
the  use  of  any  external  application  for  its  removal — 
while  the  merely  local  destruction  of  the  chancre, 
without  any  previous  general  cure  and  deliverance  of 
man  from  the  internal  disease,  is  followed  b}'  the  most 
certain  outbreak  of  syphilis  with  its  sufferings. 

Psora  (itch  disease),  like  syphilis,  is  a  miasmatic 
chronic  disease,  and  its  original  development  is  similar. 

The  itch  disease  is,  however,  also  the  7)iost  conta- 
gious of  all  chronic  miasmata,  far  more  infectious  than 
the  other  two  chronic  miasmata,  the  venereal  chancre 
disease  and  the  figwart  disease.  To  effect  the  infec- 
tion with  the  latter  there  is  required  a  certain  amount 
of  friction  in  the  most  tender  parts  of  the  body,  which 

lants,  the  venereal  disease  breaks  out,  which  gives  additional  con- 
firmation, if  this  wrre  needed,  of  the  indubitable  pre-existeuce  of 
syphilis  in  the  system.  ''Petit  cut  oflF  a  part  of  the  labia  minora, 
in  which  for  some  days  a  venereal  chancre  had  appeared;  the  wound 
healed,  indeed,  but  the  venereal  disease  broke  out  notwithstand- 
ing." M.  s.  Fabre,  Lettres,  supplimfint  d  son  traiti  dcs  maladies 
vinMennes,  Paris,  1786.  Of  course!  because  the  venereal  disease 
was  present  in  the  whole  interior  of  the  body  even  before  the  out- 
break of  the  chancre. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  79 

are  the  most  rich  in  nerves  and  covered  with  the  thin- 
nest cuticle,  as  in  the  genital  organs,  unless  the  miasma 
should  touch  a  w^ounded  spot.  But  the  miasma  of  the 
itch  needs  only  to  touch  the  general  skin,  especially  with 
tender  children.  The  disposition  of  being  affected  with 
the  miasma  of  the  itch  is  found  with  almost  everyone 
and  under  almost  all  circumstances,  which  is  not  the 
case  with  the  other  two  miasmata. 

No  other  chronic  miasma  infects  more  generally, 
more  surely,  more  easily  and  more  absolutely  than  the 
miasma  of  itch;  as  already  stated,  it  is  the  most  conta- 
gious of  all.  It  is  communicated  so  easily  that  even 
the  physician,  hurrying  from  one  patient  to  another, 
in  feeling  the  pulse  has  unconsciously*  inoculated  other 
patients  with  it;  wash  which  is  washed  with  wash  in- 
fected with  the  itch;t  new  gloves,  which  had  been  tried 
on  by  an  itch  patient;  a  strange  lodging  place,  a 
strange  towel  used  for  drying  oneself  have  communi- 
cated this  tinder  of  contagion;  yea,  often  a  babe,  when 
being  born,  is  infected  while  passing  through  the  or- 
gans of  the  mother,  who  may  be  infected  (as  is  not  in- 
frequently the  case)  with  this  disease;  or  the  babe  re- 
ceives this  unlucky  infection  through  the  hand  of  the 
midwife,  which  has  been  infected  by  another  parturient 
woman  (or  previously) ;  or,  again,  a  suckling  may  be 
infected  by  its  nurse,  or,  while  on  her  arm,  by  her 
caresses  or  the  caresses  of  a  strange  person  with  un- 
clean hands,  not  to  mention  the  thousands  of  other 
possible  ways  in  which  things  polluted  with  this  invisi- 

*  Car.  Musitani,  Opera  de  tunioribus.  Cap.  20. 
t  As  Willis  has  noticed  in  Turner,  des  maladies  de  la  peau, 
traduit  de  Vanp^lois,  d.  Paris,  1783,  Tom.  II  ,  Cap.  3,  p.  77. 


80  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

ble  miasma  may  touch  a  man  in  the  course  of  his  life, 
and  which  often  can  in  no  wa}'  be  anticipated  or 
guarded  against,  so  that  men  who  have  never  been  in- 
fected by  the  Psora  are  the  exception.  We  need  not 
to  hunt  for  the  causes  of  infection  in  crowded  hospi- 
tals, factories,  prisons,  or  in  orphan  houses,  or  in  the 
filthy  huts  of  paupers;  even  in  active  life,  in  retire- 
ment, and  in  the  rich  classes,  the  itch  creeps  in.  The 
hermit  on  Montserrat  escapes  it  as  rarely  in  his  rocky 
cell  as  the  little  prince  in  his  swaddling  clothes  of 
cambric. 

As  soon  as  the  miasma  of  itch,  e.  g.,  touches  the 
hand,  in  the  moment  when  it  has  taken  effect,  it  no 
more  remains  local.  Henceforth  all  washing  and 
cleansing  of  the  spot  avail  nothing.  Nothing  is  seen 
on  the  skin  during  the  first  days;  it  remains  unchanged, 
and,  according  to  appearance,  healthy.  There  is  no 
eruption  or  itching  to  be  noticed  on  the  body  during 
these  days,  not  even  on  the  spot  infected.  The  nerve 
which  was  first  affected  by  the  miasma  has  already 
communicated  it  in  an  invisible  dynamic  manner  to  the 
nerves  of  the  rest  of  the  body,  and  the  living  organism 
has  at  once,  all  unperceived,  been  so  penetrated  by 
this  specific  excitation  that  it  has  been  compelled  to 
appropriate  this  miasma  gradually  to  itself  until  the 
change  of  the  whole  being  to  a  man  thoroughly  psoric, 
and  thus  the  internal  development  of  the  Psora,  has 
reached  completion. 

Only  when  the  whole  organism  feels  itself  trans- 
formed by  this  peculiar  chronic-miasmatic  disease,  the 
diseased  vital  force  endeavors  to  alleviate  and  to  soothe 
the  internal  malady  through  the  establishment  of  a 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  81 

suitable  local  symptom  on  the  skin,  the  itch-vesicles. 
So  long  as  this  eruption  continues  in  its  nori|^l  form 
the  internal  Psora,  with  its  secondary  ailments,  cannot 
break  forth,  but  must  remain  covered,  slumbering, 
latent  and  bound. 

Usually  it  takes  six,  seven  or  ten,  perhaps  even  four- 
teen days  from  the  moment  of  infection  before  the 
transformation  of  the  entire  internal  organism  into 
Psora  has  been  effected.  Then  only  there  follows  after 
a  slight  or  more  severe  chill  in  the  evening  and  a  gen- 
eral heat,  followed  by  perspiration  in  the  following 
night  (a  little  fever  which  by  many  persons  is  ascribed 
to  a  cold  and  therefore  disregarded),  the  outbreak  of 
the  vesicles  of  itch,  at  first  fine,  as  if  from  miliary  fever, 
but  afterwards  enlarging  on  the  skin* — ^first  in  the  re- 
gion of  the  spot  first  infected,  and,  indeed,  accompan- 
ied with  a  voluptuously  tickling  itching,  which  may  be 
called  unbearably  agreeable  {Grintnien),  which  compels 
the  patient  so  irresistibly  to  rub  and  to  scratch  the  ves- 
icles of  itch,  that,  if  a  person  restrains  himself  forcibly 
from  rubbing  or  scratching,  a  shudder  passes  over  the 
skin  of  the  whole  body.  This  rubbing  and  scratching, 
indeed,  satisfies  somewhat  for  a  few  moments,  but  there 
then  follows  immediately  a  long-co7itinued  burning  of 
the  part  affected.  Late  in  the  evening  and  before  mid- 
night this  itching  is  most  frequent  and  most  unbear- 
able. 

*Far  from  being  an  independent,  merely  local,  cutaneous  dis- 
ease, the  vesicles  or  pustules  of  itch  are  the  reliable  proof  that  the 
completion  of  the  internal  Psora  has  already  been  effected,  and  the 
eruption  is  merely  an  integrating  factor  of  the  same,  for  this  pecu- 
liar eruption  and  this  peculiar  itching  make  a  part  of  the  essence 
of  the  whole  disease  in  its  natural,  least  dangerous  state. 


82  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

The  vesicles  of  itch  contain  in  the  first  hours  of  their 
formation  a  lymph  clear  as  water,  but  this  quickly 
changes  into  pus,  which  fills  the  tip  of  the  vesicle. 

The  itching  not  only  compels  the  patient  to  rub,  but 
on  account  of  its  violence,  as  before  mentioned,  to  rub 
and  scratch  open  the  vesicles;  and  the  humor  pressed 
out  furnishes  abundant  material  for  infecting  the  sur- 
roundings of  the  patient  and  also  other  persons  not 
yet  infected.  The  extremities  defiled  even  to  an  im- 
perceptible degree  with  this  lymph,  so  also  the  wash, 
the  clothes  and  the  utensils  of  all  kinds,  when  touched, 
propagate  the  disease. 

Only  this  skin  symptom  of  the  Psora  which  has  per- 
meated the  wh6le  organism  (and  which  is  more  mani- 
festly falling  under  the  cognizance  of  the  senses  has 
the  name  of  itch),  only  this  eruption,  as  well  as  the 
sores  which  later  arise  from  it  and  are  attended  on 
their  borders  with  the  itching  peculiar  to  Psora,  as 
also  the  herpes  which  has  this  peculiar  itching  and 
which  becomes  humid  when  rubbed  (the  tetter), 
as  also  the  thiea  capitis — these  alone  can  propagate 
this  disease  to  other  persons,  because  they  alone  con- 
tain the  communicable  miasma  of  the  Psora.  But  the 
remaining  secondary  sj^mptoms  of  the  Psora,  which  in 
time  manifest  themselves  after  the  disappearance  or 
the  artificial  expulsion  of  the  eruption,  i.  e.,  the  gen- 
eral Psoric  ailments,  cannot  at  all  communicate  this 
disease  to  others.  They  are,  so  far  as  we  know,  just  as 
little  able  to  transfer  the  Psora  to  others,  as  the 
secondary  symptoms  of  the  venereal  disease  are  able 
to  infect  other  men  (as  first  observed  and  taught  by  J. 
Hunter)  with  syphilis. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  83 

When  the  itch-eruption  has  only  lately  broken  out 
and  is  not  yet  widely  spread  on  the  skin,  nothing 
of  the  general  internal  malady  of  the  Psora  is  as  yet 
to  be  noticed  in  the  state  of  the  patient.  The  erup- 
tional  symptom  acts  as  a  substitute  for  the  internal 
malady  and  keeps  the  Psora  with  its  secondary  ail- 
ments as  it  were  latent  and  confined.* 

In  this  state,  the  disease  is  most  easily  cured  through 
specific  remedies  internally  administered. 

But  if  the  disease  is  allowed  to  advance  in  its 
peculiar  course  without  the  use  of  an  internal  curative 
remedy  or  an  external  application  to  drive  away  the 
eruption,  the  whole  disease  within  rapidly  increases, 
and  this  increase  of  the  internal  malad}'  makes  neces- 
sary a  corresponding  increase  of  the  skin  symptom. 
The  itch-eruption,  therefore,  in  order  to  be  able 
to  soothe  and  to  keep  latent  the  increased  internal 
malady,  has  to  spread  and  must  finally  cover  the 
whole  surface  of  the  bod}'. 

Yet  even  at  this  acme  of  the  disease  the  patient  still 
appears  health}^  in  every  other  respect;  all  the  symp- 
toms of  the  internal  Psora,  now  so  much  increased, 
still  remain  covered  and  assuaged  through  the  skin- 
symptom  augmented  in  the  same  proportion.     But  so 

*  As  also  the  chancre,  when  not  expelled,  acts  vicariously  and 
soothingly  for  the  syphilis  within,  and  does  not  permit  the  vene- 
real disease  to  break  out,  so  long  as  it  remains  undisturbed  in  its 
place.  I  examined  a  woman  who  was  free  from  all  the  secondary 
symptoms  of  the  venereal  disease;  with  her  a  chancre  had  remained 
in  its  place  untreated  for  two  years,  and  had  gradually  acquired 
the  size  of  almost  an  inch  in  diameter.  The  best  preparation  of 
Mercury,  internally  administered,  soon  and  entirely  healed,  not 
only  the  internal  malady,  but  also  the  chancre. 


84  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

great  a  torture,  as  is  caused  by  so  unbearable  an  itch- 
ing spread  over  the  whole  body,  even  the  most  robust 
man  cannot  continue  to  bear.  He  endeavors  to  free 
himself  from  these  torments  at  any  price,  and,  as  there 
is  no  thorough  help  for  him  with  the  physicians  of  the 
old  school,  he  endeavors  to  secure  deliverance  at  least 
from  this  eruption,  which  itches  so  unbearably,  even 
if  it  should  cost  his  life;  and  the  means  are  soon  fur- 
nished him,  either  b}'  other  ignorant  persons,  or  by 
Allopathic  physicians  and  surgeons.  He  asks  deliver- 
ance from  his  external  tortures,  without  suspecting  the 
greater  misfortune  which  unavoidably  follows,  and  is 
bound  to  follow,  on  the  expulsion  of  the  external  skin- 
symptoms  (which  hitherto  has  acted  vicariously  for  the 
internal  enlarged  P^^r^-disease),  as  has  been  suf- 
ficiently proved  by  the  observations  mentioned  before. 
But  when  he  thus  drives  away  such  an  eruption  of  itch 
by  external  applications,  he  exposes  himself  to  a 
similar  misfortune,  and  acts  just  as  unreasonably,  as  a 
person  who  in  order  to  be  quickly  delivered  from 
poverty,  and  thus  as  he  supposes  to  make  himself 
happy,  steals  a  great  sum  of  money,  and  is,  therefore, 
sent  to  the  dungeon  and  the  gallows. 

The  longer  the  itch-disease  has  already  lasted, 
whether  the  eruption,  as  is  usually  the  case,  has  spread 
over  the  greater  part  of  the  skin,  or  whether,  owing  to 
a  peculiar  lack  of  activity  in  the  skin  (as  in  some  cases) 
the  eruption  has  been  confined  to  a  few  vesicles  of 
itch* — in  both  cases,  supposing  only  that  ih.e  Psora  to- 
gether with  its  skin-symptom  has  grown  old,  the  ex- 

*See  the  observation  to  No.  86,  p.  67. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  85 

pulsion  of  the  eruption  of  itch,  whether  greater  or 
smaller  or  even  as  small  as  3'ou  please,  is  attended  with 
the  most  destructive  consequences  on  account  of  the 
internal  itch-disease  {Psora)  with  its  unspeakable  suf- 
ferings, which,  through  its  long  continuance,  has  in- 
creased to  a  high  degree  and  then  unavoidably'  breaks 
forth. 

But  the  ignorance  of  the  uninstructed  layman  ma}-  be 
pardoned  if  he  drives  out  the  itch-eruption  and  the 
troublesome  itching  by  a  cold  shower  bath,  by  rolling 
in  snow,  by  cupping,  or  by  rubbing  the  whole  skin,  or 
only  the  skin  around  the  joints,  with  Sulphur  mixed 
with  lard;  for  he  does  not  know  to  what  dangerous  ac- 
cidents and  outbreaks  of  the  Psora  disease,  that  lurks 
within,  he  thereby  opens  the  door  and  ingress.  But 
who  will  pardon  the  men  whose  office  and  duty  it  is  to 
know  the  extent  of  the  inevitably  following,  illimitable 
misfortune,  resulting  from  the  external  expulsion 
of  the  itch-eruption,  owing  to  the  Psora  which  is 
then  aroused  from  the  whole  organism,  and  who  ought 
to  have  guarded  against  it  in  every  way  by  a  thorough 
internal  cure  of  the  whole  of  this  disease,*  when  we 

*  For  even  when  the  itch-disease  has  reached  this  high  degree, 
the  eruption,  together  with  the  internal  malady,  in  one  word,  the 
whole  Psora,  may  still  be  healed  by  the  internal,  specific  homceo- 
pathic  remedies,  with  greater  difficulty,  indeed,  than  in  the  begin- 
ning, immediately  after  its  origin,  but  still  far  more  easily  and 
certainly  than  after  a  complete  expulsion  of  the  eruption  by  mere 
external  applications,  when  we  must  cure  the  internal  Psora  as  it 
brings  forth  its  secondary  symptoms  and  develops  into  nameless 
chronic  diseases.  The  itch-disease,  though  it  may  have  advanced 
so  far,  may,  nevertheless,  in  its  entire  state  be  most  easily,  cer- 
tainly and  thoroughly  cured,  together  with  its  external  eruption, 


86  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

see  them  treat  the  itch  patients  all  in  the  same  er- 
roneous manner;  j^ea,  with  even  more  violent  internal 
and   external   remedies,   with   sharp  purgatives,  with 

through  the  suitable  internal  remedies,  without  the  least  local  ap- 
plication, just  as  the  venereal  chancre  disease  may  tnost  surely  and 
easily  be  thoroughly  cured  often  by  the  least,  single  dose  of  the 
best  preparation  of  Mercury  internally  administered — when  the 
chancre,  without  calling  in  the  aid  of  the  least  external  remedy, 
quickly  becomes  a  mild  ulcer,  and  in  a  few  days  heals  of  itself,  so 
that  no  trace  of  secondary  symptoms  (venereal  disease)  then  ever 
appears  or  can  appear,  since  the  internal  symptom  has  been  cured 
together  with  the  local  symptom,  as  I  have  taught  for  many  years 
orally  and  in  my  writings,  and  have  proved  by  my  cures  of  this 
kind. 

How  can  we  excuse  the  whole  host  of  ph3'sicians,  who,  hitherto, 
after  treating  this  generally  spread  venereal  disease  for  more  than 
three  hundred  years,  nevertheless  remaiu  so  ignorant  in  recogniz- 
ing its  nature,  that  in  looking  at  a  chancre  they  even  to  this  day 
acknowledge  nothing  diseased  in  the  infected  patient,  but  this 
same  chancre,  and  do  not  see  the  syphilis,  which  was  already  pres- 
ent within  and  had  been  developed  in  the  whole  organism,  even 
before  the  breaking  out  of  the  chancre;  and  so  they  blindly  sup- 
pose, that  the  chancre  is  the  only  venereal  evil  which  is  to  be  ex- 
tirpated, and  that  this  needs  but  to  be  destroyed  by  external  ap- 
plications, in  order  to  be  able  to  declare  the  man  cured;  and  this 
without  being  instructed,  by  the  many  thousand  cases  in  their  ex- 
perience, that  by  the  local  extermination  of  the  chancre  they  have 
never  done  anything  but  injury,  as  they  have  only  deprived  the 
syphilis  pre-existing  within  of  its  diverting  local  symptom,  and 
have  thereby  compelled  the  internal  malady  to  break  out  only  the 
more  certainly  and  dreadfully  (and  in  a  manner  more  difficult  to 
cure),  as  venereal  disease?  How  can  such  a  universal,  pernicious 
obliquity  of  vision  be  excused  ? 

Or  why  did  these  physicians  never  reflect  on  the  origin  of  the 
fig-warts  ?  Why  did  they  always  overlook  the  internal  universal 
malady,  which  is  the  cause  of  these  excrescences  ?  It  is  only 
when  this  is  recognized,  that  it  can  be   thoroughly   cured   by  its 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  87 

the  Jasser  ointment,  with  lotions  of  acetate  of  Lead, 
with  the  sublimate  of  Mercury  or  sulphate  of  Zinc,  but 
especially  with  anointment  prepared  of  fat  with  flowers 

homoeopathic  remedies,  which  then  cause  the  fig-warts  to  be 
liealed,  without  the  application  of  any  external  means  of  destruc- 
tion. 

But  even  if  a  shadow  of  an  excuse  might  be  offered  for  this  sad 
negligence  and  ignorance,  and  if  anyone  would  claim  that  these 
physicians  have  only  had  three  and  one-half  centuries,  in  which  to 
discern  clearly  the  true  nature  of  syphilis,  and  that  they  might 
have  learned  this  truth  after  a  still  more  extended  practice  (still  I 
have  endeavored,  though  in  vain,  to  convince  them  of  their  error 
a  number  of  years  ago  and  since  then  from  time  to  time),  never- 
theless, that  general  negligence  of  previous  physicians  and,  I  may 
well  say,  their  obstinate  blindness,  are  quite  without  excuse,  in 
that  they  did  not  recognize  the  internal  pre-existing  malady,  the 
Psora,  which  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  itch-disease,  which  has  in- 
fected men  for  several  thousands  of  years,  and  that  they  ignored 
in  their  proud  levity  all  the  facts  which  point  to  it,  so  that  they 
might  continue  the  delusion  and  leave  the  world  in  its  destructive 
infatuation  that:  the  unbearably  itching  pustules  are  only  a  mere 
superficial  ailment  of  the  skin,  and  by  their  local  destruction  man 
is  delivered  form  the  whole  disease,  and  has  fully  recovered. 

Not  perchance  mere  medical  scribblers,  no,  the  greatest  and  most 
celebrated  physicians  of  modern  and  most  modern  days  have 
made  themselves  guilty  of  this  grievous  error  (or  shall  I  say  of 
this  intentional  crime),  from  von  HelmonT  even  to  the  latest  ad- 
vocates of  the  Allopathic  medical  practice. 

By  the  use  of  the  above-mentioned  remedies,  they,  indeed, 
usually  reached  their  aim;  i.  e.,  the  driving  away  of  the  eruption 
and  of  the  itching  from  the  skin,  and  they  supposed  in  the  intoxi- 
cation of  their  spirit  (or  at  least  they  pretended),  they  had 
destroyed  the  disease  itself  and,  indeed,  totally,  and  they  sent 
away  the  patients,  thus  abused,  assuring  them  that  they  were 
again  healthy. 

All  the  sufferings,  which  follow  the  one-sided  destruction  of  the 
cutaneous  eruption,  which  belongs  to  the  natural  form  of  the  Psora, 


88  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

of  Sulphur  or  with  a  preparation  of  Mercury;  with  which 
they  Hghtly  and  carelessly  destroy  the  eruption,  de- 
claring "  this  is  merely  an  impurity  located  in  the  skin, 
and  must  be  driven  out;  then  everything  will  be  well 
and  the  man  will  be  healthy  and  free  from  every  ail- 
ment." Who  can  pardon  them  if  they  are  not  willing 
to  learn  from  the  many  warning  examples  recorded  by 
the  older,  more  conscientious  observers,  nor  by  the 
man}'  thousands  of  other  examples,  which  frequently, 
yea,  almost  daily,  come  before  their  eyes  ?  Yet  they 
cannot  see  nor  be  convinced  as  to  the  certain,  quickly 
fatal  or  life-long  insidious  misfortune  they  bring  upon 
the  itch-patient  through  the  destruction  of  his  erup- 
tion, as  they  thus  merely  unfetter  the  internal  malady 
i^Psora),  which  is  laden  with  innumerable  ailments. 
This  disease  is  neither  destroyed  nor  cured;  and  so 
this  thousand-headed  monster,  instead  of  being  con- 
quered, is  inexorably  let  loose  against  the  deceived 
patient  to  his  destruction,  by  tearing  down  the 
barriers  that  shut  it  in. 

It   may    easily    be    imagined,    as    experience    also 
teaches,  that  the  more  months  a  neglected  itch-erup- 

they  passed  ofiF  as  a  newly  arisen  disease,  owing  to  quite  another 
origin.  In  their  narrowness  of  mind,  they  never  regarded  the  in- 
numerable, plain  testimonies  of  honest  observers  of  earlier  days, 
which  record  the  sad  consequences  of  the  local  expulsion  of  the 
itch-eruption,  which  often  followed  so  closely,  that  a  man  would 
have  to  deny  his  reason,  or  else  acknowledge  them  as  the  imme- 
diate result  of  the  indwelling  severe  malady  (the  Psora),  yihich 
had  been  deprived  of  the  local  symptom  (the  cutaneous  eruption), 
destined  by  nature  to  alleviate  the  internal  malady,  whence  the 
uncured  internal  disease  has  been  compelled  to  a  manifest  out- 
break of  its  secondary  symptoms. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  89 

tion  has  flourished  on  the  skin,  the  more  surely  has  in- 
ternal Psora,  which  underHes  it,  been  able  to  reach, 
in  even  a  moderate  space  of  time,  a  great — and  finally 
its  greatest — degree,  which  dreadful  increase  it  also 
then  proves  through  the  more  dangerous  consequences, 
which  the  expulsion  of  so  inveterate  an  eruption  un- 
avoidably draws  after  it  in  every  case. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  just  as  certain  that  the 
eruption  of  a  few  vesicles  of  itch  which  has  broken 
out  only  a  few  days  before,  inconsequence  of  a  recent 
infection,  may  be  expelled  with  less  inuncdiate  ddiUgev; 
as  the  internal  Psora  that  has  sprung  up  in  the  whole 
organism  has  not  yet  had  time  to  grow  up  to  a  high 
degree,  and  we  must  confess  that  the  expulsion  of  a 
few  vesicles  of  itch,  that  have  just  arisen,  often  shows 
no  immediate,  manifestly  strong,  evil  consequences. 
Wherefore  with  delicate  and  aristocratic  persons,  or 
their  children,  it  usually  remains  unknown,  that  a 
single  vesicle  or  a  few  vesicles  itching  violently,  which 
showed  only  a  few  days  and  were  at  once  treated  by 
the  careful  physician  with  Lead  ointment  or  a  Lotion 
of  Lead,  and  which  disappeared  the  following  day, 
had  itch  for  their  foundation. 

However  small  the  internal  Psora  may  be  at  the 
time  of  the  quick  suppression  of  an  itch-eruption, 
which  has  only  developed  a  few  vesicles  and  which  is 
then  followed  by  only  moderate  ailments  and  com- 
plaints (which  are  then  usually,  from  ignorance,  as- 
cribed by  the  domestic  physician  to  other  causes  of 
little  import):  the  internal  malady  of  Psora,  although 
as  yet  of  slight  degree,  remains  in  its  character  and  in 
its  chronic  nature  the  same  general  psoric  disease  of 
7 


90  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

the  whole  organism ;  /.  e. ,  without  the  aid  of  art  it  is 
ineradicable^  and  cannot  be  extirpated  by  the  strength 
of  even  the  best  and  most  robust  bodily  constitution^ 
and  it  will  increase  even  to  the  end  of  the  patient's  life. 
It  is  usually  the  case,  indeed,  that  this  disease,  de- 
prived as  early  as  possible  of  the  first  traces  of  its  cu- 
taneous symptom  by  local  applications,  will  grow  but 
slowly  in  the  beginning  and  will  make  but  slow  prog- 
ress in  the  organism — much  slower  progress  than 
where  the  eruption  has  been  allowed  to  remain  for  a 
long  time  on  the  skin;  for  in  the  latter  case  the  prog- 
ress of  the  internal  Psora  is  of  immense  rapidity;  but 
the  disease,  nevertheless,  increases  unceasingly,  and 
even  in  the  best  cases  and  uder  the  most  favorable  ex- 
ternal circumstances,  quietly  and  often  for  years  un- 
perceived  by  the  eyes;  so  that  anyone,  who  does  not 
know  the  signs  of  its  latent  presence,  would  suppose 
and  declare  such  persons  to  be  healthy  and  free  from 
any  internal  malady.  Often  for  years  it  does  not 
manifest  diseases. 

Many  hundred  observations  have  gradually  ac- 
quainted me*  with  the  signs,   by  which  the  internally 

*  It  was  more  easy  to  me,  than  to  many  hundreds  of  others,  to 
find  out  and  to  recognize  the  signs  of  the  Psora  as  well  when  latent 
and  as  yet  slumbering  within,  as  when  it  has  grown  to  considerable 
chronic  diseases,  by  an  accurate  comparison  of  the  state  of  health 
of  all  such  persons  with  myself,  who,  as  is  seldom  the  case,  have 
never  been  afflicted  with  the  Psora  ,  and  have,  therefore,  from  my 
birth  even  until  now  in  my  eightieth  year,  been  entirely  free  from 
the  (smaller  and  greater)  ailments  enumerated  here  and  further 
below,  although  I  have  been,  on  the  whole,  very  apt  to  catch  acute 
epidemic  diseases,  and  have  been  exposed  to  many  mental  exer- 
tions and  thousand  fold  vexations  of  spirit. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  91 

slumbering,*  hitherto  latent  Psora  (itch-malady)  may 
be  recognized  even  in  those  cases  where  it  has  not  yet 
manifested  itself  in  any  startling  disease,  so  that  I  am 
able  to  root  out  and  to  thoroughly  cure  this  malady 
with  its  roots,  more  easily  before  the  internal  Psora 
has  risen  to  a  manifest  (chronic)  disease,  and  has  de- 
veloped to  such  a  fearful  height  that  the  dangerous 
conditions  make  the  cure  difficult  and  in  some  cases 
impossible. 

There  are  many  signs  of  the  Psora  which  is  gradu- 
ally increasing  within,  but  is  as  yet  slumbering,  and 
has  not  yet  come  to  the  full  outbreak  of  a  manifest  dis- 
ease; but  no  one  person  has  all  these  symptoms;  the 
one  has  more  of  them,  the  other  a  smaller  number;  the 
one  has  at  present  only  one  of  them,  but  in  the  course 
of  time  he  will  also  have  others;  he  may  be  free  from 
some,  according  to  the  peculiar  disposition  of  his  body 

*Allopathy  has  also  assumed  hidden  [latent)  conditions  of  dis- 
ease in  patients,  in  order  to  explain,  or,  at  least,  to  excuse  its 
blind  inroads  with  violent  medicines,  blood-letting,  anodynes,  etc. 
These  so-called  qualitates  occultcB  Fernelii  are,  however,  wholly 
suppositious  and  imaginary,  as  (according  to  the  statement  of  this 
same  physician)  they  are  supposed  not  to  be  recognizable  by  any 
manifestations  and  symptoms.  But  whatever  does  not  make 
known  its  hidden,  imaginary  existence  by  any  sign  does  not  exist 
for  us  men,  who  are  limited  by  our  Creator  in  our  cognizance  of 
things  to  observations — it  is  consequently  a  phantom  of  a  roving 
fancy.  It  is  quite  different  with  the  various  forces  slumbering 
{latent)  in  nature;  despite  their  ordinary  occultness,  they,  never- 
theless, show  themselves  when  the  requisite  circumstauces  and 
conditions  appear;  e.  g.,  latent  heat,  even  in  metals  that  feel  cold, 
is  manifested  when  they  are  rubbed,  just  as  the  Psora  manifests 
itself;  e.  g.,  as  a  drawing  pain  in  the  sheaths  of  the  muscles,  when 
the  person  infected  yvith.  Psora  has  been  exposed  to  a  draught,  etc. 


92  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

or  according  to  the  external  circumstances  of  different 
persons. 

SYMPTOMS  OF  LATENT  PSORA. 

Mostly  with  children;  frequent  discharge  of  ascarides 
and  other  worms;  unsufferable  itching  caused  by  the 
latter  in  the  rectum. 

The  abdomen  often  distended. 

Now  insatiable  hunger,  then  again  want  of  appetite. 

Paleness  of  the  face  and  relaxation  of  the  muscles. 

Frequent  inflammations  of  the  ej^es. 

Swellings  of  the  cervical  glands  (scrofula). 

Perspiration  on  the  head  in  the  evening  after  going 
to  sleep. 

Epistaxis  with  girls  and  youths  (more  rarely  with 
older  persons),  often  very  severe. 

Usually  cold  hands  or  perspiration  on  the  palms 
(burning  in  the  palms). 

Cold,  dry  or  ill-smelling,  sweaty  feet  (burning  in  the 
soles  of  the  feet). 

The  arms  or  hands,  the  legs  or  feet,  are  benumbed 
by  a  slight  cause. 

Frequent  cramps  in  the  calves  (the  muscles  of  the 
arms  and  hands). 

Painless  subsultus  of  various  portions  of  the  muscles 
here  and  there  on  the  body. 

Frequent  or  tedious  dry  or  fluent  coryza  or  catarrh,* 
or  impossibility  of  catching  a  cold  even  from  the  most 

*The  epidemic  catarrhal  fevers  and  catarrhs,  which  seize  almost 
everyone,  even  the  healthiest  persons  (Grippe,  Influenza),  do  not 
belong  to  this  category. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  93 

severe  exposure,  even  while  otherwise  having  continu- 
ally ailments  of  this  kind. 

Long-continued  obstruction  of  one  or  both  nostrils. 

Ulcerated  nostrils  (sore  nose). 

Disagreeable  sensation  of  dr3^ness  in  the  nose. 

Frequent  inflammation  of  the  throat,  frequent 
hoarseness. 

Short  tussiculation  in  the  morning. 

Frequent  attacks  of  dyspnoea. 

Predisposition  to  catching  cold  (either  in  the  whole 
body  or  only  in  the  head,  the  throat,  the  breast,  the 
abdomen,  the  feet;  e.  g.,  in  a  draught,*  (usually  when 
these  parts  are  inclined  to  perspiration),  and  many 
other,  sometimes  long-continuing  ailments  arising 
therefrom. 

Predisposition  to  strains,  even  from  carrying  or  lift- 
ing a  slight  weight,  often  caused  even  by  stretching 
upward  and  reaching  out  the  arms  for  objects  which 
are  hung  high  (so  also  a  multitude  of  complaints  re- 
sulting from  a  moderate  stretching  of  the  muscles, 
headache,  nausea,  prostration,  tensive  pain  in  the  mus- 
cles of  the  neck  and  back,  etc.). 

Frequent  one-sided  headache  or  toothache,  even  from 
moderate  emotional  disturbances. 

Frequent  flushes  of  heat  and  redness  of  the  face,  not 
unfrequently  with  anxiety. 

Frequent  falling  out  of  hair  of  the  head,  dryness  of 
the  same,  many  scales  upon  the  scalp. 

Predisposition  to  erysipelas  now  and  then. 

*  Persons  not  afflicted  with  Psora,  though  draughts  and  damp 
cold  air  may  not  be  agreeable  to  them,  do  not  suffer  any  colds  or 
evil  after-effects  therefrom. 


94  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Amenorrhoea,  irregularities  in  the  menses,  too  copi- 
ous, too  scanty,  too  earl}'  (too  late),  of  too  long  dura- 
tion, too  watery,  connected  with  various  bodily  ail- 
ments. 

Twitching  of  the  limbs  on  going  to  sleep. 

Weariness  early  on  awaking;  unrefreshing  sleep. 

Perspiration  in  the  morning  in  bed. 

Perspiration  breaks  out  too  easil}'  during  the  day- 
time, even  with  little  movement  (or  inability  to  bring 
out  perspiration). 

White,  or  at  least  very  pale  tongue;  still  more  fre- 
quently cracked  tongue. 

Much  phlegm  in  the  throat. 

Bad  smell  from  the  mouth,  frequently  or  almost  con- 
stantl}',  especially  early  in  the  morning  and  during  the 
menses,  and  this  is  perceived  either  as  insipid,  or  as 
slightly  sour,  or  as  if  from  a  stomach  out  of  order,  or 
as  mouldy,  also  as  putrid. 

Sour  taste  in  the  mouth. 

Nausea  in  the  morning. 

Sensation  of  emptiness  in  the  stomach. 

Repugnance  to  cooked,  warm  food,  especially  to 
meat  (principally  with  children). 

Repugnance  to  milk. 

At  night  or  in  the  morning,  dryness  in  the  mouth. 

Cutting  pains  in  the  abdomen,  frequently  or  daily 
(especially  with  children),  more  frequently  in  the 
morning. 

Hard  stools,  delaying  usually  more  than  a  day, 
clotted,  often  covered  with  mucus  (or  nearly  always 
soft,  fermenting  s:;ools,  like  diarrhoea). 

Venous  knots  on  the  anus;  passage  of  blood  with  the 
stools. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  95 

Passing  of  mucus  from  the  anus,  with  or  without 
faeces. 

Itching  on  the  anus. 

Dark  urine. 

Swollen,  enlarged  veins  on  the  legs  vswollen  veins, 
varices). 

Chilblains  and  pains  as  from  chilblains,  even  outside 
of  the  severe  cold  of  winter,  even,  also,  in  summer. 

Pains  as  of  corns,  without  any  external  pinching  of 
the  shoes. 

Disposition  to  crack,  strain  or  wrench  one  joint  or 
another. 

Cracking  of  one  or  more  joints  on  moving. 

Drawing,  tensive  pains  in  the  neck,  the  back,  the 
limbs,  especially,  also,  in  the  teeth  (in  damp,  stormy 
weather,  in  northwest  and  northeast  winds,  after  colds, 
overlifting,  disagreeable  emotions,  etc.). 

Renewal  of  pains  and  complaints  while  at  rest,  and 
disappearance  of  the  same  while  in  motion. 

Most  of  the  ailments  come  on  at  night,  and  are  in- 
creased with  a  low  barometer,  with  north  and  north- 
east* winds,  in  winter  and  towards  spring. 

Uneasy,  frightful,  or  at  least  too  vivid,  dreams. 

Unhealthy  skin;  every  little  lesion  passes  into  sores; 
cracked  skin  of  the  hands  and  of  the  lower  lips. 

Frequent  boils,  frequent  felons  (whitlows). 

Dry  skin  on  the  limbs;  on  the  arms,  the  thighs,  and 
also  at  times  on  the  cheeks. 

Here  or  there  a  rough,  scaling  spot  on  the  skin, 
which  causes  at  times  a  voluptuous  itchitig  and,  after 
the  rubbing,  a  burning  sensation. 

*In  Europe  northeast  winds  are  cold,  sharp  and  dry,  correspond- 
ing to  our  west  winds. —  Tratis/. 


96  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Here  or  there  at  times,  though  seldom,  a  single  in- 
sufferably pleasant,  but  unbearably  itching  vesicle,  at 
its  point  sometimes  filled  with  pus,  and  causing  a  burn- 
ing sensation  after  rubbing,  on  a  finger,  on  the  wrist  or 
in  some  other  place. 

Suffering  from  sev^eral  or  from  a  greater  number  of 
these  ailments  (even  at  various  times  and  frequently), 
a  person  will  still  consider  himself  as  healthy,  and  is 
supposed  to  be  so  by  others.  He  may  also  lead  a  quite 
endurable  life  in  such  a  state  and,  without  much  hin- 
drance, attend  to  his  business  as  long  as  he  is  young  or 
still  in  his  vigorous  years,  and  so  long  as  he  does  not 
suffer  any  particular  mishap  from  without,  has  a  satis- 
factory income,  does  not  live  in  vexation  or  grief,  does 
not  overexert  himself;  but  especially  if  he  is  of  quite  a 
cheerful,  equable,  patient,  contented  disposition.  With 
such  persons  the  Psora  (internal  itch  malady),  which 
may  be  recognized  by  a  connoisseur  by  means  of  a  few 
or  by  more  of  the  above  symptoms,  may  slumber  on 
for  many  years  within,  without  causing  any  continuing 
chronic  disease. 

But  still,  even  in  such  favorable  external  relations, 
as  soon  as  these'  persons  advance  in  age,  even  moder- 
ate causes  (a  slight  vexation,  or  a  cold,  or  an  error  in 
diet,  etc.)  may  produce  a  violent  attack  of  {however 
only  a  brief)  disease:  a  violent  attack  of  colic,  inflam- 
mation of  the  chest  or  the  throat,  erysipelas,  fever  and 
the  like,  and  the  violence  of  these  attacks  seems  to  be 
out  of  proportion  to  its  moderate  cause.  This  is 
mostl}^  wont  to  happen  in  fall  or  winter,  but  often  also 
by  preference  in  springtime. 

But   even  where  a  person,   whether  a  child  or  an 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  97 

adult,  who  has  the  Psora  slumbering  within  him, 
shows  much  semblance  of  health,  but  happens  upon 
the  opposite  of  the  above-described  favorable  condi- 
tions of  life,  when  his  health  and  whole  organism  have 
been  very  much  weakened  and  shaken  by  a  prevalent 
epidemic  fever  or  an  infectious  acute  disease,*  small- 
pox, measles,  whooping  cough,  scarlet  fever,  purple 
rash,  etc.,  or  through  an  external  severe  lesion,  a 
shock,  a  fall,  a  wound,  a  considerable  burn,  the  break- 
ing of  an  arm  or  a  leg,  a  hard  labor,  the  confinement 
due  to  a  disease  {.usually  helped  on  by  the  incorrect  a)id 
weakening  allopathic  treatment),  confinement  at  a  sed- 
entary occupation  in  a  gloomy,  close  room,  weakening 
the  vital  force;  the  sad  losses  of  beloved  relatives  bend- 
ing down  the  soul  with  grief,  or  daily  vexation  and  an- 
noyance, which  embitter  the  life;  deterioration  of  the 
food  or  an  entire  want  of  what  is  necessary  and  indis- 
pensable, exposure  and  inferior  food  beating  down 
man's  courage  and  strength;  then  the  Psora,  which 
has  hitherto  slumbered,  awakes  and  shows  itself  in  the 
heightened  and  augmented  symptoms  enumerated  be- 
low, in  its  transition  to  the  formation  of  severe  mala- 
dies;  one  or  another  nameless   (psoric)  chronic  dis- 

*At  the  termination  of  an  acute  fever  there  often  follows,  as  if  in- 
cited by  such  a  fever,  an  appearance  of  an  old  Psora  residing  in 
the  body,  as  an  eruption  of  itch.  This  the  physicians  explain  as  a 
new  generation  of  itch  in  this  individual  body  replete  with  bad 
humors  [scilicei),  since  they  know  nothing  of  a  Psora  in  man  which 
may  be  quiescent  for  a  long  period.  But  the  itch-disease  cannot 
now  be  generated  or  arise  or  be  created  anew  of  itself,  just  as  no 
smallpox  or  cowpox,  no  measles,  no  venereal  chancre  disease,  etc., 
can  now  make  its  appearance  with  any  man  without  previous  in- 
fection. 


98  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

eases'^  breaks  out  and,  most  of  all,  through  lueakening 
and  exhausting  improper  treatment  by  allopathic  phy- 
sicians, they  are  aggravated  from  time  to  time  without 
intermission,  often  to  a  fearful  height,  if  external  cir- 
cumstances favorable  for  the  patient  do  not  interpose, 
and  cause  a  moderation  in  the  process  of  the  malady. 


*The  one  or  the  other  disease,  according  to  the  original  bodily 
constitution,  a  peculiar  mode  of  living,  a  peculiar  disposition  of  the 
mind,  often  arising  from'the  individual  education  or  a  more  recep- 
tive or  more  weakened  condition  of  some  part  of  the  body,  gives  a 
peculiar  direction  to  the  disease,  and  thus  causes  the  itch  disease 
to  lead  to  the  origin  of  the  one  or  the  other  disease,  so  as  to  show 
itself  preferably  in  that  one  direction  and  develop  itself  in  that 
particular  modification.  A  passionate,  peevish  disposition  gives  an 
extraordinary  predisposition  to  the  development  of  the  Psora;  so, 
also,  previous  exhaustion  through  frequent  pregnancies,  excessive 
nursing  of  infants,  extraordinary  hardships,  exhausting  erroneous 
medical  treatment,  debauchery,  and  a  profligate  mode  of  living. 
The  internal  itch  disease  is,  as  before  mentioned,  of  such  a  peculiar 
nature  that  it  may  remain,  as  it  were,  tied  down  and  covered  up 
for  a  long  time  through  external  favorable  surroundings,  so  that  a 
man  may  seem  to  the  superficial  observer  healthy  for  years,  even 
,  for  many  years,  until  circumstances  unfavorable  to  the  body  or  the 
soul,  or  to  both,  ma}'  arise  and  serve  as  a  hostile  impulse  to  awaken 
the  disease  slumbering  within  and  thus  develop  its  germs.  His 
acquaintances  and  his  physician,  yea,  the  patient  himself,  can  not 
then  comprehend  how  his  health  could  so  suddenh'  fall  into  a  de- 
cline. To  bring  some  examples  for  e.xplanation  from  my  own  ex- 
perience: After  a  simple  fracture  of  a  limb  attended  with  confine- 
ment to  bed  for  five  or  six  weeks,  there  may  follow  diseased  condi- 
tions of  another  kind,  the  cause  of  which  cannot  be  guessed,  which 
diseased  conditions,  even  when  measurably  remove i,  Uiivertheless 
return,  and  which,  even  without  any  error  in  diet,  nevertheless  at 
their  return  show  aggravation.  This  is  mostly  the  case  in  fall 
(winter)  and  spring  and  becomes  a  tedious  ailment  increasing  from 
year  to  J'ear,  a  lasting  cure  for  which,  without  the  substitution  of  a 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  99 

But    even   if   favorable    external    conditions  should 
again  check  the  rapid  development  of  a  disease  that 


still  worse  disease  for  it  by  an  allopathic  cure,  has  been  hitherto 
vainly  sought  for  in  the  councils  of  former  physicians  and  also  in 
visits  to  mineral  springs.  There  are  in  man's  life  innumerable 
stumbling-blocks  or  unfavorable  occurrences  of  this  kind  which 
serve  to  awaken  the  Psora  (the  internal  itch -disease),  which  till 
then  has  been  slumbering  (perhaps  for  a  long  time  previously), 
and  which  cause  its  germs  to  develop.  They  are  often  of  such  a 
nature  that  the  grave  evils  which  gradually  follow  on  them  are  out 
of  all  proportion  to  them,  so  that  no  rational  man  can  consider 
those  occurrences  as  sufficient  causes  for  the  chronic  diseases  which 
follow  and  which  are  often  of  a  fearful  character.  But  such  a  man 
is  compelled  to  acknowledge  a  deeper  seated  hostile  cause  of  these 
appearances,  which  cause  has  only  now  developed  itself. 

For  example,  a  young  married  woman,  who,  viewed  superficially 
and  according  to  the  common  standard,  was  healthy,  but  who  had 
in  her  childhood  been  iufected  with  Psora,  had  the  misfortune  to 
be  thrown  out  of  her  carriage  while  in  the  third  month  of  her  preg- 
nancy, from  which  she  suffered  not  only  slight  injury  and  the 
fright,  but  also  a  miscarriage,  and  the  attending  loss  of  blood  gave 
her  a  considerable  set-back.  In  a  few  weeks,  liowe%'er,  her  youth- 
ful constitution  had  pretty  well  recovered,  and  she  might  have 
been  assured  of  a  speedy  return  to  lasting  good  health,  when  the 
announcement  of  the  dangerous  illness  of  a  beloved  sister,  living 
at  a  distance,  threw  her  back  and  augmented  her  former  ailments, 
which  had  not  yet  been  quite  removed,  by  the  addition  of  a  multi- 
tude of  nervous  disorders  and  convulsions,  thus  turning  them  into 
a  serious  illness.  Better  news  from  her  sister,  indeed,  followed,  and 
at  last  good  news.  At  last  her  sister,  entirely  restored  herself,  pays 
her  a  visit.  But  the  sick  young  wife  still  remains  sick,  and  even  if 
she  seems  to  recover  for  a  week  or  two,  her  ailments  nevertheless 
return  without  any  apparent  cause.  Every  succeeding  confine- 
ment, even  when  quite  easy,  every  hard  winter,  adds  new  ailments 
to  the  old,  or  the  former  disorders  change  into  others  still  more 
troublesome,  so  that  at  last  there  ensues  a  serious  chronic  illness, 
though  no  one  can  see  why  the  full  vigor  of  youth,  attended  by 


100  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

has  broken  out,  true  health  can  not  be  lastingly  re- 
stored  by   any    of   the   modes  of   treatment  hitherto 


happy  external  surroundings,  should  not  have  soon  wiped  out  the 
consequence  of  that  one  miscarriage;  still  less  can  it  be  explained 
why  the  unfortunate  impression  of  those  sad  tidings  should  not 
have  disappeared  on  hearing  of  the  recovery  of  her  sister,  or  at 
least  on  the  actual  presence  of  her  sister  fully  restored. 

If  the  cause  must  at  all  times  be  proportionate  to  its  effect  and 
consequence,  as  is  the  case  in  nature,  no  one  can  see  how,  after  the 
removal  of  the  causes  assailing  her  health,  the  resulting  ailments 
could  not  only  continue,  but  even  increase  from  year  to  year,  if 
their  cause  were  not  in  something  else,  something  deeper,  so  that 
those  unhappy  occurrences  (the  miscarriage  and  the  sad  tidings), 
since  they  both  disappeared  of  themselves  and  therefore  could  not 
possibly  yield  a  sufficient  ground  for  the  ensuing  chronic  disease, 
can  only  be  regarded  as  the  occasion,  but  not  the  efficient  cause,  of 
the  development  of  a  hostile  power  of  greater  importance,  pre-ex- 
istent  in  the  internal  organism,  but  hitherto  quiescent. 

In  a  similar  manner,  a  robust  merchant,  apparently  healthy,  de- 
spite some  traces  of  internal  Psora,  perceptible  only  to  the  profes- 
sional examiner,  ma}',  in  consequence  of  unlucky  commercial  con- 
junctures, become  involved  in  his  finances,  even  so  as  to  approach 
bankruptcy,  and  at  the  same  time  he  will  fall  gradually  into  vari- 
ous ailments  and  finally  into  serious  illness.  The  death  of  a  rich 
kinsman,  however,  and  the  gaining  of  a  great  prize  in  a  lottery, 
abundantly  cover  his  commercial  losses;  he  becomes  a  man  of 
means — but  his  illness,  nevertheless,  not  only  continues,  but  in- 
creases from  year  to  year,  despite  all  medical  prescriptions,  in  spite 
of  his  visiting  the  most  famous  baths,  or  rather,  perhaps,  with  the 
assistance  of  these  two  causes. 

A  modest  girl,  who,  excepting  some  signs  of  internal  Psora,  was 
accounted  quite  healthy,  was  compelled  into  a  marriage  which 
made  her  unhappy  of  soul,  and  in  the  same  degree  her  bodily 
health  declined,  without  any  trace  of  venereal  infection.  No  allo- 
pathic medicine  alleviates  her  sad  ailments,  which  continually 
grow  more  threatening.  But  in  the  midst  of  this  aggravation,  after 
one  year's  suffering,  the  cause  of  her  unhappiness,  her  hated  hus- 


HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES.  101 

known,  and  the  customary  allopathic  treatments,  with 
their  aggressive,  inappropriate  remedies — such  as 
baths,  Mercury,   Prussic  acid,   Iodine,   Digitalis,   Qui- 

band,  is  taken  from  her  by  death,  and  she  seems  to  revive,  in  the 
conviction  that  she  is  now  delivered  from  every  occasion  of  mental 
or  bodily  illness,  and  hopes  for  a  speedy  recovery;  all  her  friends 
hope  the  same  for  her,  as  the  exciting  cause  of  her  illness  lies  in 
the  grave.  She  also  improves  speedily,  but  unexpectedly  she  still 
remains  an  invalid,  despite  the  vigor  of  her  youth;  yea,  her  ail- 
ments but  seldom  leave  her,  and  are  renewed  from  time  to  time 
without  any  external  cause,  and  they  are  even  aggravated  from 
year  to  year  in  the  rough  months. 

A  person  who  had  been  unjustly  suspected  and  become  involved 
in  a  serious  criminal  suit,  and  who  had  before  seemed  healthy, 
with  the  exception  of  the  marks  of  latent  Psora  mentioned  above, 
during  these  harassing  months  fell  into  various  diseased  states. 
But  finally  the  innocence  of  the  accused  is  acknowledged,  and  an 
honorable  acquittal  followed.  We  might  suppose  that  such  a 
happy,  gratifying  event  would  necessarily  give  new  life  to  the  ac- 
cused and  remove  all  bodily  complaints.  But  this  does  not  take 
place,  the  person  still  at  times  Suffers  from  these  ailments,  and 
they  are  even  renewed  with  longer  or  briefer  intermissions,  and  are 
aggravated  with  the  passing  years,  especially  in  the  wintry  seasons. 

How  shall  we  explain  this?  If  that  disagreeable  event  had  been 
the  cause,  the  sufficient  cause,  of  these  ailments,  ought  not  the  ef- 
fect, i.  e.,  the  disease,  to  have  entirely  ceased  of  necessity  after  the 
removal  of  the  cause?  But  these  ailments  do  not  cease,  they  are 
in  time  renewed  and  even  gradually  aggravated,  and  it  becomes 
evident  that  those  disagreeable  events  could  not  have  been  the  suf- 
ficient cause  of  the  present  ailments  and  complaints — it  is  seen  that 
they  only  served  as  an  occasion  and  impetus  toivard  the  develop- 
ment of  a  malady^  which  till  then  only  slumbered  withiji. 

The  recognition  of  this  old  internal  foe,  which  is  so  frequently 
present,  and  the  science  which  is  able  to  overcome  it,  make  it  man- 
ifest that  generally  an  indwelling  itch  disease  {Psora)  was  the 
ground  of  all  these  ailments,  which  can  not  be  overcome  even  by 
the  vigor  of  the  best  constitution,  but  only  through  art. 


102  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

nine,  starvation  and  other  fashionable  remedies  in- 
cluded— only  hasten  death,  the  end  of  all  those  mala- 
dies which  the  physician  cannot  heal. 

When  once,  under  the  above-mentioned  unfavorable 
outward  surroundings,  the  transition  of  the  Psora 
from  its  slumbering  and  bound  condition  to  its  awak- 
ening and  outbreak  has  taken  place,  and  the  patient 
leaves  himself  to  the  injurious  activity  of  the  usual 
allopathic  physician,  who  deems  it  appropriate  to  his 
office  and  his  income  to  mercilessly  assault  the  organ- 
ism of  the  patient  (as  we  are  sorry  to  witness  every 
day)  with  the  battering-rams  of  his  violent,  inappro- 
priate remedies  and  weakening  treatments ; — in  such 
a  case,  the  external  circumstances  of  the  patient  and 
his  situation  with  respect  to  his  surroundings  may 
have  changed  ever  so  favorably,  but  the  aggravation 
of  the  disease  nevertheless  proceeds  under  such  hands 
without  any  escape. 

The  awakening  of  the  internal  Psora  which  has 
hitherto  slumbered  and  been  latent,  and,  as  it  were, 
kept  bound  by  a  good  bodily  constitution  and  favor- 
able external  circumstances,  as  well  as  its  breaking  ' 
out  into  more  serious  ailments  and  maladies,  is  an- 
nounced by  the  increase  of  the  symptoms  given  above 
as  indicating  the  slumbering  Psora,  and  also  by  a 
numberless  multitude  of  various  other  signs  and  com- 
plaints. These  are  varied  according  to  the  difference 
in  the  bodily  constitution  of  a  man,  his  hereditary 
disposition,  the  various  errors  in  his  education  and 
habits,  his  manner  of  living  and  diet,  his  employments, 
his  turn  of  mind,  his  morahty,  etc. 

Then  when  the  itch-malady  develops  into  a  mani- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  103 

fest  secondary  disease  there  appear  the  following 
symptoms,  which  I  have  derived  and  observed  alto- 
gether from  accounts  of  diseases  which  I  myself  have 
treated  successfully  and  which  confessedly  originated 
from  the  contagion  of  itch,  and  were  mixed  neither 
with  syphilis  nor  sjxosis. 

I  am  quite  willing  to  believe  that  many  more  symp- 
toms may  have  occurred  in  the  experience  of  others. 

I  would  only  add  further,  that  among  the  symptoms 
adduced  there  are  also  such  as  are  entirely  opposed  to 
each  other,  the  reason  of  which  may  be  found  in  the 
varying  bodily  constitutions  existing  at  the  time — 
when  the  outbreak  of  the  internal  Psora  occurred. 
Yet  the  one  variety  of  symptoms  is  found  more  rarely 
than  the  other  and  it  offers  no  particular  obstruction 
to  a  cure  : 

Vertigo  ;  reeling  while  walking. 

Vertigo  ;  when  closing  the  eyes,  everything  seems 
to  turn  around  with  him  ;  he  is  at  the  same  time  seized 
with  nausea. 

Vertigo ;  on  turning  around  briskly,  he  almost  falls 
over. 

Vertigo,  as  if  there  was  a  jerk  in  the  head,  which 
causes  a  momentary  loss  of  consciousness. 

Vertigo  with  frequent  eructations. 

Vertigo  even  when  only  looking  down  on  the  level 
ground,  or  when  looking  upward. 

Vertigo  while  walking  on  a  road  not  enclosed  on 
either  side,  in  an  open  plain. 

Vertigo  ;  she  seems  to  herself  now  too  large,  now 
too  small,  or  other  objects  have  this  appearance  to 
her. 

Vertigo,  resembling  a  swoon. 


104  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Vertigo,  passing  over  into  unconsciousness. 

Dizziness  ;  inability  to  think  or  to  perform  mental 
labor. 

Her  thoughts  are  not  under  her  control. 

She  is  at  times  quite  without  thought  (sits  lost  in 
thought). 

The  open  air  causes  dizziness  and  drowsiness  in  the 
head. 

Everything  at  times  seems  dark  and  black  before 
his  eyes,  while  walking  or  stooping,  or  when  raising 
himself  from  a  stooping  posture. 

Rush  of  blood  to  the  head.* 

Heat  in  the  head  (and  in  the  face).'' 

A  cold  pressure  on  the  top  of  the  head.* 

Headache,  a  dull  pain  in  the  morning  immediately 
on  waking  up,  or  in  the  afternoon  when  walking  rap- 
idly or  speaking  loudly. 

Headache  on  one  side,  with  a  certain  periodicity 
(after  28,  14  or  a  less  number  of  days),  more  fre- 
quently during  full  moon,  or  during  the  new  moon,  or 
after  mental  excitement,  after  a  cold,  etc. ;  a  pressure 
or  other  pain  on  top  of  the  head  or  inside  of  it,  or  a 
boring  pain  over  one  of  the  eyes.* 

*  While  the  mind  is  uneasy,  with  anxiety  and  disinclination  to 
work, 

'  Not  unfrequently  accompanied  with  coldness  of  the  hands  and 
feet. 
'  Usually  accompanied  with  anxiety. 

*  At  the  same  time  a  great  internal  disquiet  and  anxiety,  espe- 
cially in  the  abdomen  ;  a  lack  of  stools,  or  frequent,  scanty  evacu- 
ations attended  with  anxiety;  heaviness  in  the  limbs,  quivering  in 
the  whole  body,  tension  of  all  the  nerves  with  great  irritability 
and  sensitiveness;    the  eye  can  not  bear  any  light,  lachrymation, 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  105 

Headache  daily  at  certain  hours;  e.g.,  a  stitching  in 
the  temples/ 

Attacks  of  throbbing  headache  {e.  g.,  in  the  fore- 
head) with  violent  nausea  as  if  about  to  sink  down,  or, 
also,  vomiting ;  starting  early  in  the  evenings,  re- 
peated every  fortnight,  or  sooner  or  later. 

Headache  as  if  the  skull  were  about  to  burst  open.' 

Headache,  drawing  pains.* 

Headache,  stitches  in  the  head  (passing  out  at  the 
ears).* 

Roaring  noise  in  the  brain,  singing,  buzzing,  hum- 
ming, thundering,  etc. 

The  scalp  full  of  dandruff,  with  or  without  itching. 

Eruption  on  the  head,  tinea  capitis,  malignant  tinea 
with  crusts  of  greater  or  less  thickness,  with  sensitive 

sometimes  with  swelling  of  the  eyes;  the  feet  are  cold;  at  times 
attended  with  dry  coryza;  often  chills,  then  again  a  flying  heat; 
conjoined  with  this,  continuous  nausea,  also  at  times,  retching  and 
vomiting;  she  lies  either  as  if  stunned,  or  throws  herself  anxiously 
from  side  to  side,  the  attacks  lasting  from  twelve  to  twenty-four 
and  more  hours.  After  these  attacks  either  great  weariness  with 
sadness,  or  a  feeling  of  tension  all  over  the  body.  Before  these 
attacks  there  are  frequent  jerks  of  the  limbs  during  sleep  and 
starting  up  from  sleep,  anxious  dreams,  gnashing  of  the  teeth  in 
sleep  and  tendency  to  start  at  any  sudden  noise. 

^  Which  also  swell  at  times,  with  lachrymation  of  the  one  eye. 

*In  some  cases  a  drawing  pain  from  the  nape  of  the  neck 
toward  the  occiput,  at  times  also  all  over  the  whole  head  and  face, 
which  is  often  bloated  from  it,  while  the  head  aches  when  touched, 
not  infrequently  attended  with  nausea. 

'Usually  while  walking,  especially  while  walking  and  moving 
after  meals. 

*At  the  same  time  everything  frequently  appears  dark  before  her 
face. 
8 


106  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

stitches  when  one  of  the  places  becomes  moist  ;  when 
it  becomes  moist  a  violent  itching;  the  whole  crown  of 
the  head  painfully  sensitive  to  the  open  air;  with  it 
hard  swellings  of  the  glands  in  the  neck. 

The  hair  of  the  head  as  if  parched. 

The  hair  of  the  head  frequently  falls  out,  most  iii 
front,  on  the  crown  and  top  of  the  head;  bald  spots  or 
beginning  baldness  of  certain  spots. 

Under  the  skin  are  formed  painful  lumps,  which 
come  and  pass  away,  like  bumps  and  round  tumors.' 

Feeling  of  contraction  in  the  skin  of  the  scalp  and 
the  face. 

Paleness  of  the  face  during  the  first  sleep,  with  blue 
rings  around  the  eyes. 

Frequent  redness  of  the  face,  and  heat.* 

Yellowish;  yellow  color  of  the  face. 

Sallow  yellowish  complexion. 

Erysipelas  on  the  face.* 

Pressive  pain  on  the  eyes,  especially  late  in  the  even- 
ing; he  must  shut  them. 

He  cannot  look  long  at  anything,  else  everything 
flickers  before  him;  objects  seem  to  move. 

The  eyelids,  especially  in  the  morning,  are  as  if 
closed;  he  cannot  open  them   (for  minutes;  yea,  even 

^  Which  also  in  rare  cases  pass  over  iuto  suppuration. 

*He  at  times  also  becomes  quite  weak  and  weary  from  it  or 
anxious,  and  he  perspires  on  the  upper  part  of  the  body;  his  eyes 
at  times  become  dim;  everything  becomes  black  before  his  eyes, 
his  mind  is  sad;  his  head  also  feels  as  if  too  full  with  burning  in 
the  temples. 

'In  some  cases  with  much  fever,  also  at  times  with  burning,  itch- 
ing, stinging  watery  blisters  in  the  face,  which  turn  into  scabs 
( Erysipelas  buUosum ) . 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  107 

for  hours);  the  eye-hds  are  heavy  as  if  paralyzed  or 
convulsively  closed. 

The  eyes  are  most  sensitive  to  daylight;  they  are 
pained  by  it  and  close  involuntarily.^ 

Sensation  of  cold  in  the  eyes. 

The  canthi  are  full  of  pus-like  mucus  (eye-gum). 

The  edges  of  the  eyelids  full  of  dry  mucus. 

On  the  edges  of  the  eyelids,  inflammation  of  single 
Meibomian  glands  or  several  of  them. 

Inflammations  of  the  eyes,  of  various  kinds.' 

Yellowness  around  the  eyes. 

Yellowness  of  the  white  of  the  eye.^ 

Dim,  opaque  spots  on  the  cornea.* 

Dropsy  of  the  eye. 

Obscuration  of  the  crystalline  lens,  cataract. 

Squinting. 

Far-sightedness;  he  sees  far  in  the  distance,  but  can- 
not clearly  distinguish  small  objects  held  close. 

Short-sightedness;  he  can  see  even  small  objects  by 
holding  them  close  to  the  eye,  but  the  more  distant 
the  object  is  the  more  indistinct  it  appears,  and  at  a 
great  distance  he  does  not  see  it. 

False  vision;  he  sees  objects  double,  or  manifold,  or 
only  the  one-half  of  them. 

Before  his  eyes  there  are  floating  as  it  were  flies,  or 
black  points,  or  dark  streaks,  or  networks,  especially 
when  looking  into  bright  daylight. 

'Usually  with  more  or  less  inflammation. 

*The  fistula  lachrynialis  has  probably  never  any  other  cause 
than  the  itching  disease. 

^  Or  gray  color  of  the  same. 

*Even  without  having  had  any  previous  inflammation  of  the 
eyes. 


108  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

The  eyes  seem  to  look  through  a  veil  or  a  mist;  the 
sight  becomes  dim  at  certain  times. 

Night-blindness;  he  sees  well  in  daytime,  but  in  the 
twilight  he  cannot  see  at  all. 

Blindness  by  day;  he  can  only  see  well  during  the 
twilight. 

Amaurosis;  uninterrupted  dimness  of  vision^  in- 
creased finally  even  to  blindness. 

Painfulness  of  various  spots  in  the  face,  the  cheeks, 
the  cheekbones,  the  lower  jaw,  etc.,  when  touched; 
while  chewing,  as  if  festering  inwardly ;  also  like 
stitches  and  jerks;  especially  in  chewing  there  are 
jerks,  stitches  and  a  tension  so  that  he  cannot  eat.^ 

The  hearing  is  excessively  irritated  and  sensitive; 
she  cannot  bear  to  hear  a  bell  ring  without  trembling; 
he  is  thrown  into  convulsions  by  the  beating  of  the 
drum,  etc. ;  many  sounds  cause  pains  in  the  ear. 

There  are  stitches  in  the  ear,  outwardly.' 

Crawling  sensation  and  itching  in  the  ear. 

Dryness  in  the  ear ;  dry  scabs  within,  without  any 
ear-wax. 

Running  from  the  ear  of  thin,  usually  ill- smelling 
pus. 

Pulsation  in  the  ear. 

Various  sounds  and  noises  in  the  ear.* 

'  More  frequently  without  opacity  of  the  crystalline  lens  than 
■with  it. 

^During  chewing  or  speaking  there  is  at  times  also  a  similar 
twitching  on  the  sides  of  the  head,  where  protuberances  like  pain- 
ful bumps  often  arise.  When  the  pain  is  still  more  unbearable  and 
at  times  combined  with  a  burning  pain,  it  is  called  Fothergill's 
pain  in  the  face. 

'Especially  while  walking  in  the  open  air. 

*Such  as  clinking,  rushing,  seething,  roaring,  humming,  chirp- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  109 

Deafness  of  various  degrees  even  up  to  total  deaf- 
ness, with  or  without  noise  in  the  ear;  occasionally 
worse,  according  to  the  weather. 

Swelling  of  the  parotid  glands.' 

Epistaxis,  more  or  less  profusely,  more  or  less  fre- 
quently. 

The  nostrils  as  it  were  stopped  up.** 

Sensation  of  dryness  in  the  nose,  troublesome  even 
when  the  air  passes  freely. 

Polypi  of  the  nose  (usuallj^  with  the  loss  of  the 
power  of  smelling) ;  these  may  extend  also  through 
the  nasal  passages  into  the  fauces. 

Sense  of  smell,  weak,  lost. 

Sense  of  smell  perverted.' 

Too  violent  sensation  of  smell,  higher  and  highest 
sensitiveness  for  even  imperceptible  odors. 

Scabs  in  the  nose;  discharge  of  pus  or  hardened 
clots  of  mucus.* 

Fetid  smell  in  the  nose. 

Nostrils  frequently  ulcerated,  surrounded  with  pim- 
ples and  scabs. 

Swelling  and  redness  of  the  nose  or  the  tip  of  the 
nose,  frequent  or  continual. 

Under  the  nose,  or  on  the  upper  lip,  long-lasting 
scabs  or  itching  pimples. 

ing,  ringing,  drumming,  thundering,  whizzing,  fluttering,  mur- 
muring, etc. 

^  Often  with  stinging  pains  in  the  glands. 

"Either  one  or  both,  or  alternately,  first  one,  then  the  other; 
often  there  is  only  the  sensation  of  being  stopped  up,  while  the  air 
can  be  freely  drawn  in  through  it. 

'^.^.,the  smell  of  manure  or  some  other  peculiar  smell  is  in  the 
nose. 

*  Sometimes  also  a  discharge  of  acrid  mucus  from  the  nose. 


110  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

The  red  of  the  Hps  is  quite  pale. 

The  red  of  the  Hps  is  dry,  scabby,  peeHng  off ;  it 
chaps. 

Swelling  of  the  lips,  especially  of  the  upper  lip.' 

The  inside  of  the  lips  is  lined  with  little  sores  or 
blisters.* 

Cutaneous  eruption  of  the  beard  and  of  the  roots  of 
the  hairs  of  the  beard,  with  itching. 

Eruptions  of  the  face  of  innumerable  kinds." 

Glands  of  the  lower  jaw  swollen,  sometimes  passing 
over  into  chronic  suppuration. 

Glandular  swellings  down  the  sides  of  the  neck. 

Gums  bleeding  at  a  slight  touch. 

Gums,  the  external  or  the  internal,  painful,  as  if 
from  wounds. 

Gums,  with  erosive  itching. 

Gums,  whitish,  swollen,  painful  on  touching. 

Gums,  recession,  leaving  the  front  teeth  and  their 
roots  bare. 

Gnashing  of  the  teeth  during  sleep. 

Looseness  of  the  teeth,  and  many  kinds  of  deteri- 
oration of  the  teeth,  even  without  toothache. 

Toothache  of  innumerable  varieties,  with  varying 
causes  of  excitation. 

She  cannot  remain  in  bed  at  night,  owing  to  tooth- 
ache. 

On  the  tongue,  painful  blisters  and  sore  places. 


^  At  times  with  a  burning,  biting  pain. 

*  Often  very  painful,  coming  and  passing  away. 

"Milk-crust,  pimples,  blotches,  herpes  and  carcinomatous 
ulcers  of  the  nose,  lips  and  face  (also  called  cavccr),  with  burning 
and  stinging  pain. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  Ill 

Tongue  white,  coated  white  or  furred  white. 

Tongue  pale,  bluish-white. 

Tongue  full  of  deep  furrows  ;  here  and  there,  as  if 
torn  above. 

Tongue  dry. 

Sensation  of  dryness  on  the  tongue,  even  while  it  is 
properly  moist. 

Stuttering,  stammering;  also  at  times  sudden  at- 
tacks of  inability  to  speak. 

On  the  inside  of  the  cheeks  painful  blisters  or 
sores. 

Flow  of  blood  from  the  mouth;  often  severe. 

Sensation  of  dryness  of  the  whole  internal  mouth, 
or  merely  in  spots,  or  deep  down  in  the  throat.^ 

Fetid  smell  from  the  mouth. 

Burning  in  the  throat. 

Constant  flow  of  saliva,  especially  while  speaking, 
particularly  in  the  morning. 

Continual  spitting  of  saliva. 

Frequent  mucus  deep  down  in  the  throat  (the 
fauces),  which  he  has  to  hawk  up  and  expectorate  fre- 
quently during  the  day,  especially  in  the  morning. 

Frequently  inflammation  of  the  throat,  and  swelling 
of  the  parts  used  in  swallowing. 

Insipid,  slimy  taste  in  the  mouth. 

Intolerably  sweet  taste  in  the  mouth,  almost  con- 
stantly. 

Bitter  taste  in  the  mouth,  mostly  in  the  morning.* 

^Chiefly  on  waking  up  at  night  or  in  the  morning,  with  or  with- 
out thirst;  with  a  great  deal  of  dryness  in  the  throat,  often  a  prick- 
ing pain  in  swallowing. 

'Not  rarely,  this  is  constant. 


112  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Sourish  and  sour  taste  in  the  mouth,  especially  after 
eating,  though  the  food  tasted  all  right.* 

Putrid  and  fetid  taste  in  the  mouth. 

Bad  smell  in  the  mouth,  sometimes  mouldy,  some- 
times putrid  like  old  cheese,  or  like  fetid  foot-sweat, 
or  like  rotten  sour  kraut. 

Eructations,  with  the  taste  of  the  food,  several  hours 
after  eating. 

Eructations,  empty,  loud,  of  mere  air,  uncontroll- 
able, often  for  hours,  not  infrequently  at  night. 

Incomplete  eructation,  which  causes  merely  convul- 
sive shocks  in  the  fauces  without  coming  out  of  the 
mouth. 

Eructation,  sour,  either  fasting  or  after  food,  es- 
pecially after  milk. 

Eructation,  which  excites  to  vomiting. 

Eructation,  rancid  (especially  after  eating  fat  things). 

Eructation,  putrid  or  mouldy,  early  in  the  morning. 

Frequent  eructations  before  meals,  with  a  sort  of 
rabid  hunger. 

Heart-burn,  more  or  less  frequent;  there  is  a  burn- 
ing along  the  chest,  especially  after  breakfast,  or  while 
moving  the  bod3\ 

Water-brash,  a  gushing  discharge  of  a  sort  of  sali- 
vary fluid  from  the  stomach,  preceded  by  writhing 
pains  in  the  stomach  (the  pancreas),  with  a  sensation 
of  weakness  (shakiness),  nausea  causing  as  it  were  a 
swoon,  and  gathering  of  the  saliva  in  the  mouth,  even 
at  night.* 

'  Rarely  an  offensively  sweet  taste  in  the  mouth,  even  without 
eating  or  drinking. 
*This  also  at  times  turns  into  vomiting  of  water,  mucus,  or   a 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  113 

The  ruling  complaints  in  any  part  of  the  body  are 
excited  after  eating  fresh  fruit,  especially  if  this  is 
acidulous,  also  after  Acetic  acid  (in  salads,  etc.). 

Nausea  early  in  the  morning.^ 

Nausea  even  to  vomiting,  in  the  morning  im- 
mediately after  rising  from  bed,  decreasing  from 
motion. 

Nausea  always  after  eating  fatty  things  or  milk. 

Vomiting  blood. 

Hiccough  after  eating  or  drinking. 

Swallowing  impeded  by  spasms,  even  causing  a  man 
to  die  of  hunger. 

Spasmodic,  involuntary  swallowing. 

Frequent  sensation  of  fasting  and  of  emptiness  in 
the  stomach  (or  abdomen),  not  unfrequently  with 
much  saliva  in  the  mouth. 

Ravenous  hunger  (canine  hunger),  especially  early 
in  the  morning;  he  has  to  eat  at  once  else  he  grows 
faint,  exhausted  and  shaky  (or  if  he  is  in  the  open  air 
he  has  to  lie  straight  down). 

Ravenous  hunger  with  rumbling  and  grumbling  in 
the  abdomen. 

Appetite  without  hunger;  she  has  a  desire  to  swal- 
low down  in  haste  various  things  without  there  being 
any  craving  therefor  in  the  stomach. 

A  sort  of  hunger;  but  when  she  then  eats  ever  so 
little,  she  feels  at  once  satiated  and  full. 

When  she  wants  to  eat,  she  feels  full  in  the  chest 
and  her  throat  feels  as  if  full  of  mucus. 


gush,  of  acrid  acid — more  frequently  after  eating  flour  dumplings, 
vegetables  causing  flatulence,  baked  prunes,  etc. 
*  Often  coming  very  suddenly. 


114  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Want  of  appetite;  only  a  sort  of  gnawing,  turning 
and  writhing  in  the  stomach  urges  her  to  eat. 

Repugnance  to  cooked,  warm  food,  especially  to 
boiled  meat,  and  hardly  any  longing  for  anything  but 
rye-bread  (with  butter),  or  for  potatoes.* 

In  the  morning,  at  once,  thirst;  constant  thirst. 

In  the  pit  of  the  stomach  there  is  a  sensation  of 
swelling,  painful  to  the  touch. 

Sensation  of  coldness  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach. 

Pressure  in  the  stomach  or  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach, 
as  from  a  stone,  or  a  constricting  pain  (cramp).* 

In  the  stomach,  beating  and  pulsation,  even  when 
fasting. 

Spasm  in  the  stomach;  pain  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach 
as  if  drawn  together.' 

Griping  in  the  stomach;  a  painful  griping  in  the 
stomach;*  it  suddenly  constricts  the  stomach,  especially 
after  cold  drinking. 

Pain  in  the  stomach,  as  if  sore,  when  eating  even 
the  most  harmless  kinds  of  foods. 

Pressure  in  the  stomach,  even  when  fasting,  but 
more  from  every  kind  of  food,  or  from  particular 
dishes,  fruit,  green  vegetables,  rye-bread,  food  con- 
taining vinegar,  etc.* 

^  Especially  in  youth  and  childhood. 

*  In  some  cases  even  while  fasting,  and  causing  him  to  wake  up 
out  of  sleep  at  night,  sometimes  oppressing  the  breathing. 

'  Usually  a  short  time  after  eating. 

*  Not  infrequently  with  vomiting  of  mucus  and  water,  without 
which  in  such  a  case  the  griping  is  not  alleviated. 

*  Even  after  partaking  of  the  slightest  quantity  of  such  things, 
there  may  also  ensue  colic,  pain  or  numbness  of  the  jaws,  tearing 
pain  in  the  teeth,  copious  accumulation  of  mucus  in  the  throat, 
etc. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  115 

During  eating,  feels  dizzy  and  giddy,  threatening  to 
fall  to  one  side. 

After  the  slightest  supper,  nocturnal  heat  in  bed; 
in  the  morning,  constipation  and  exceeding  lassi- 
tude. 

After  meals,  anxiety  and  cold  perspiration,  with 
anxiety.^ 

During  eating,  perspiration. 

Immediately  after  eating,  vomiting. 

After  meals,  pressure  and  burning  in  the  stomach, 
or  in  the  epigastrium,  almost  like  heartburn. 

After  eating,  burning  in  oesophagus  from  below  up- 
ward. 

After  meals,  distension  of  the  abdomen.* 

After  meals,  very  tired  and  sleepy.^ 

After  meals,  as  if  intoxicated. 

After  meals,  headache. 

After  meals,  palpitation  of  the  heart. 

Alleviation  of  several,  even  remote,  complaints  from 
eating. 

The  flatus  does  not  pass  off,  but  moves  about,  caus- 
ing many  ailments  of  body  and  of  spirit.* 

^  There  may  also  be  pains,  renewed  now  and  then;  e.  g.,  stitches 
in  the  lips,  griping  and  digging  in  the  abdomen,  pressure  in  the 
chest,  heaviness  in  the  back  and  the  small  of  the  back,  even  to 
nausea;  when  nothing  but  an  artificially  excited  vomiting  will 
give  relief.  With  some  the  anguish  is  aggravated  after  eating, 
even  to  an  impulse  to  destroy  themselves  by  strangulation. 

*  With  this,  at  times,  weariness  in  the  arms  and  legs. 
'Often  until  the  patient  lies  down  and  sleeps. 

*  At  times  drawing  pains  in  the  limbs,  especially  in  the  lower 
limbs,  or  stitches  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  or  in  the  side  of  the 
abdomen,  etc. 


116  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

The  abdomen  is  distended  by  flatus/  the  abdomen 
feels  full,  especially  after  a  meal. 

Sensation  as  if  the  flatus  ascended;  followed  by 
eructations — then  often  a  sensation  of  burning  in  the 
throat,  or  vomiting  by  day  and  by  night. 

Pain  in  the  hypochondria  when  touched,  and  in  mo- 
tion, or  also  during  rest. 

Constricting  pain  in  the  epigastrium,  immediately 
under  the  ribs. 

Cutting  pains  in  the  abdomen,  as  if  from  obstructed 
flatus;  there  is  a  constant  sensation  of  fulness  in  the 
abdomen — the  flatus  rises  upwards. 

Cutting  pains  in  the  abdomen  almost  daily,  especially 
with  children,  oftener  in  the  morning  than  in  other 
parts  of  the  day,  sometimes  day  and  night,  without 
diarrhoea. 

Cutting  pains  in  the  abdomen,  especially  on  the  one 
side  of  the  abdomen,  or  the  groin.* 

In  the  abdomen,  qualmishness,  a  sensation  of  void- 
ness,  disagreeable  emptiness;'  even  immediately  after 
eating,  he  felt  as  if  he  had  not  eaten  anything. 

From  the  small  of  the  back,  around  the  abdomen, 
especially  below  the  stomach,  a  sensation  of  constric- 
tion as  from  a  bandage,  after  she  had  had  no  stool  for 
several  days. 

^  The  flatus  often  ascends;  less  frequently  a  great  quantity  of 
flatus  is  discharged,  especially  in  the  morning,  without  smell  and 
without  alleviating  the  other  ailments;  in  other  cases  flatulence, 
with  a  great  quantity  of  excessively  fetid  flatus  passing  off. 

''The  cutting  pain  also  at  times  passes  down  into  the  rectum  and 
down  the  thigh. 

'  In  some  cases  alternating  with  a  contractive  pain  in  the  abdo- 
men. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  117 

Pain  in  the  liver,  when  touching  the  right  side  of  the 
abdomen. 

Pain  in  the  liver,  a  pressure  and  tension — a  tension 
below  the  ribs  on  the  right  side. 

Below  the  last  ribs  (in  the  hypochondria),  a  tension 
and  pressure  all  over,  which  checks  the  breathing  and 
makes  the  mind  anxious  and  sad. 

Pain  in  the  liver,  stitches— mostly  when  stooping 
quickly. 

Inflammation  of  the  liver. 

Pressure  in  the  abdomen  as  from  a  stone.' 

Hardness  of  the  abdomen. 

Crampy  colic,  a  grasping  pain  in  the  bowels. 

In  colic,  coldness  on  one  side  of  the  abdomen. 
.     A    clucking,    croaking    and    audible   rumbling   and 
grumbling  in  the  abdomen.^ 

So-called  uterine  spasms,  like  labor  pains,  grasping 
pains  often  compelling  the  patient  to  lie  down,  fre- 
quently quickly  distending  the  abdomen  without  flatu- 
lence. 

In  the  lower  abdomen,  pains  pressing  down  toward 
the  genitals.' 

Inguinal  hernias,  often  painful  while  speaking  and 
singing.* 

^  Which  often  rises  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  digging  and  caus- 
ing vomiting. 

*  At  times  only  in  the  left  side  of  the  abdomen,  passing  upwards 
with  the  inspiration  and  downward  with  the  expiration. 

^  Pressing  down  as  if  to  cause  a  prolapsus,  and  when  it  is  passed 
she  feels  heavy  in  all  her  limbs,  the  limbs  go  to  sleep  ;  she  must 
stretch  and  extend  her  limbs. 

*  Inguinal  hernias  rise  as  a  rule  only  from  internal  Psora,  ex- 
cepting  the  few   cases,  when   these  parts  are  injured  by  great  ex- 


118  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Swellings  of  the  inguinal  glands,  which  sometimes 
turn  into  suppuration. 

Constipation  ;  delayed  stools  sometimes  for  several 
days,  not  infrequently  with  repeated  ineffectual  urging 
.to  stool. 

Stools  hard,  as  if  burnt,  in  small  knots,  like  sheep- 
dung,  often  covered  with  mucus,  sometimes  also  en- 
veloped by  veinlets  of  blood. 

Stools  of  mere  mucus  (mucous  piles). 

Passage  of  round  worms  from  the  anus. 

Discharge  of  pieces  of  tape-worm. 

Stools,  in  the  beginning  very  hard  and  troublesome, 
followed  by  diarrhoea. 

Very  pale,  whitish  stool. 

Gray  stools. 

Green  stools. 

Clay-colored  stools. 

Stools  with  putrid,  sour  smell. 

At  the  stools,  cutting  pains  in  the  rectum. 

Stools  show  diarrhoea  for  several  weeks,  months, 
years.  ^ 

Frequently  repeated  diarrhoea,  with  cutting  pains 
in  the  abdomen,  lasting  several  days. 

After  a  stool,  especially  after  a  softer,  more  copious 
evacuation,  great  and  sudden  prostration.* 

ternal  violence,  or  when  the  hernia  arises  from  superhuman  exer- 
tions of  the  body  through  lifting  or  pushing  quickly,  while  in  a 
great  fright. 

1  Usually  preceded  by  rumbling  or  fermentation  in  the  abdomen; 
chiefly  in  the  morning. 

^  Especially,  weakness  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  anxiety,  rest- 
lessness, also  at  times  chills  in  the  abdomen  or  the  small  of  the 
back,  etc. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  119 

Diarrhoea,  soon  so  weakening,  that  she  cannot  walk 
alone. 

Painless  and  painful  hemorrhoidal  varices*  on  the 
anus,  in  the  rectum  (blind  piles). 

Bleeding  hemorrhoidal  varices  on  the  anus  or  in  the 
rectum*  (running  piles),  especially  during  stools,  after 
which  the  hemorrhoids  often  pain  violently  for  a  long 
time. 

With  bloody  discharges  in  the  anus  or  in  the  rec- 
tum, ebullition  of  blood  through  the  body  and  short 
breathing. 

Formication  and  itching  formication  in  the  rectum, 
with  or  without  the  discharge  of  ascarides. 

Itching  and  erosion  in  the  anus  and  the  perinaeum. 

Polypi  in  the  rectum. 

During  micturition,  anxiety,  also  at  times  prostra- 
tion. 

At  times  too  much  urine  is  discharged,  succeeded  by 
great  weariness.' 

Painful  retention  of  urine  (with  children  and  old 
people). 

When  he  is  chilled  (feels  cold  through  and  through), 
he  cannot  urinate. 

At  times  owing  to  flatulence,  she  cannot  urinate. 

The  urethra  is  constricted  in  parts,  especially  in  the 
morning.* 

^  Which  not  infrequently  have  a  slimy  fluid  oozing  from  them. 

*  Fistulcg  in  ano  have  probably  never  any  other  cause  than  this 
malady,  especially  when  to  this  there  are  added  a  stimulating  diet, 
an  excess  in  spirituous  liquors,  frequent  laxatives,  a  sedentary 
occupation  and  abuse  of  the  sexual  instinct. 

'  Diabetes,  which  with  Allopathic  remedies  is  usually  so  fatal, 
has  probably  never  any  other  origin  than  this  malady. 

*The  urine  frequently  passes  off  as  thin   as  a  thread,  or  the 


120  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Pressure  on  the  bladder,  as  if  from  an  urging  to  uri- 
nate, immediately  after  drinking. 

He  cannot  hold  the  urine  for  any  length  of  time,  it 
presses  on  the  bladder,  and  passes  off  while  he  walks, 
sneezes,  coughs  or  laughs. 

Frequent  micturition  at  night  ;  he  has  to  get  up  fre- 
quently at  night  for  that  purpose. 

Urine  passes  off  in  sleep  involuntarily. 

After  urinating,  the  urine  continues  to  drip  out  for 
a  long  time. 

Whitish  urine,  with  a  sweetish  smell  and  taste, 
passes  off  in  excessive  abundance,  with  prostration, 
emaciation  and  inextinguishable  thirst  (diabetes). 

During  urination,  burning,  also  lancinating  pains  in 
the  urethra  and  the  neck  of  the  bladder. 

Urine  of  penetrating,  sharp  odor. 

The  urine  quickly  deposits  a  sediment. 

The  urine  discharged  is  at  once  turbid  like  whey. 

With  the  urine  there  is  discharged  from  time  to  time 
a  red  sand  (kidney  grits). 

Dark-yellow  urine. 

Brown  urine. 

Blackish  urine. 

Urine  with  blood  particles,  also  at  times  complete 
hematuria. 

stream  spreads  out ;  the  urine  is  only  discharged  in  jerks  at  long 
intervals  ;  these  interruptions  are  frequently  caused  by  a  spasm  in 
the  neck  of  the  bladder  which  antagonizes  the  action  of  the  blad- 
der and  springs  from  the  same  Psoric  malady.  So  also  inflamma- 
tion of  the  bladder  from  strictures  of  the  urethra,  and  the  fistula 
in  vesica  are  always  of  Psoric  origin,  though  in  rare  cases  sycosis 
may  be  complicated  with  the  Psora. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  121 

Discharge  of  prostatic  fluid  after  urination,  but  espe- 
cially after  a  difficult  stool  (also  almost  constant  drip- 
ping of  the  same)/ 

Nocturnal  passage  of  semen,  too  frequent,  one,  two 
or  three  times  a  week,  or  even  every  night/ 

Nightly  discharge  of  the  genital  fluid  in  a  woman, 
with  voluptuous  dreams. 

Nocturnal  pollutions,  even  if  not  frequent,  yet  im- 
mediately attended  by  evil  consequences.' 

Semen  passes  off  almost  involuntarily  in  daytime, 
with  little  excitation,  often  even  without  erection. 

Erections  very  frequent,  long  continuing,  very  pain- 
ful without  pollutions. 

The  semen  is  not  discharged,  even  during  a  long- 
continued  coition  and  with  a  proper  erection,*  but  it 
passes  off  afterward  in  nocturnal  pollutions  or  with  the 
urine. 

Accumulation  of  water  in  the  tunica  vaginalis  of  the 
testicle  (hydrocele). 

There  is  never  a  complete  erection,  even  with  the 
most  voluptuous  excitement. 

^  Sometimes  also  consumption  from  the  constant  oozing  out  of 
the  prostatic  fluid. 

''With  healthy  chaste  young  men,  pollutions  naturally  only  take 
place  every  twelve  or  fourteen  days,  without  any  attending  troubles, 
and  they  are  followed  by  cheerfulness  and  a  feeling  of  strength 
and  serenity. 

'Gloominess,  obtuseness,  dimness  of  the  thinking  powers,  di- 
minished vividness  of  the  imagination,  want  of  memory,  de- 
pression, melancholy;  the  vision  is  weakened,  as  well  as  the  diges- 
tion and  the  appetite;  stools  are  retained,  a  rush  of  blood  to  the 
head  ensues,  also  toward  the  anus,  etc. 

*  The  testicles  in  such  a  case  are  never  drawn  up  to  the  body,  but 
hang  down  m  ore  or  less. 
9 


122  HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC   DISEASES. 

Painful  twitches  in  the  muscles  of  the  penis. 

Itching  of  the  scrotum,  which  is  sometimes  beset 
with  pimples  and  scabs. 

One  or  both  of  the  testicles  chronically  swollen,  or 
showing  a  knotty  induration  {Sarcoccle). 

Dwindling,  diminution,  disappearance  of  one  or  both 
testicles. 

Induration  and  enlargement  of  the  prostatic  gland. 

Drawing  pain  in  the  testicle  and  the  spermatic 
chord. 

Pain  as  from  contusion  in  the  testicle. 

Lack  of  sexual  desire  in  both  sexes,  either  frequent 
or  constant.^ 

Uncontrollable  insatiable  lasciviousness,*  with  a  ca- 
chectic complexion  and  sickly  body. 

Sterility,  impotence,  without  an}'  original  organic 
defect  in  the  sexual  parts.' 

^  Often  for  years,  yea,  for  many  years.  The  male  and  the  female 
genital  parts  cannot  then  be  excited  to  any  agreeable  or  voluptu- 
ous sensation — the  body  of  the  male  penis  hangs  down  relaxed,  is 
thinner  than  the  glans  penis,  which  feels  cold  and  is  of  a  bluish  or 
white  color;  in  the  female  parts  the  labia  are  not  excitable,  they 
are  relaxed  and  small;  the  vagina  almost  numb  and  insensible,  and 
usually  dry;  sometimes  there  is  a  falling  out  of  the  hair  of  the 
pudenda,  or  an  entire  bareness  of  the  female  genital  parts. 

*Metromania  and  Nj-mphomania  are  of  the  same  origin. 

'Too  frequent  coition  from  impotent  lasciviousness,  with  too 
sudden  a  passing  off  of  immature,  watery  semen,  or  lack  of  erec- 
tion, or  lack  of  the  issue  of  semen,  or  lack  of  sexual  desire — 
menses  too  copious,  or  a  constant  flow  of  blood;  watery,  scanty  or 
deficient  menses;  copious  discharge  of  mucus  from  the  vagina 
(leucorrhoea),  indurated  ovaries,  the  breasts  have  either  dwindled 
down  or  become  knotty;  insensibility,  or  merely  painful  sensibility 
of  the  genital  organs,  are  merely  the  proximate  usual  symptoms  of 
sterility  or  impotence  with  the  one  sex  or  the  other. 


HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES.  123 

Disorders  of  the  menstrual  function;  the  menses  do 
not  appear  regularly  on  the  twenty-eighth  day  after 
their  last  appearance,  they  do  not  come  on  without  other 
ailments  and  not  at  once,  and  do  not  continue  steadily 
for  three  or  four  days  with  a  moderate  quantity  of 
healthy-colored,  mild  blood,  until  on  the  fourth  day  it 
imperceptibly  comes  to  an  end  without  any  disturb- 
ance of  the  general  health  of  body  and  spirit;  nor  are 
the  menses  continued  to  the  forty-eighth  or  fiftieth 
year,  nor  do  they  cease  gradually  and  without  any 
troubles. 

The  menses  are  slow  in  setting  in  after  the  lifteenth 
yfear  and  later,  or  after  appearing  one  or  more  times, 
they  cease  for  several  months  and  for  years.  ^ 
•  The  menses  do  not  keep  their  regular  periods,  they 
either  come  several  days  too  early,  sometimes  every 
three  weeks,  or  even  every  fortnight.'' 

The  menses  flow  only  one  day,  only  a  few  hours,  or 
in  imperceptibly  small  quantities. 

The  menses  flow  for  five,  six,  eight  and  more  days, 
but  only  intermittently,  a  little  flow  every  six,  twelve, 
twenty-four  hours,  and  then  they  cease  for  half  or 
whole  days,  before  more  is  discharged. 

The  menses  flow  too  strongly,  for  weeks,  or  return 
almost  daily  (bloody  flux).' 

^  Consequent  sallow  paleness  and  tumefaction  of  the  face,  heavi- 
ness of  the  limbs,  swelling  of  the  feet,  chilliness,  weariness,  asthma 
(chlorosis),  etc. 

'  The  menses  rarely  come  several  days  too  late,  and  flow  then  in 
too  great  abundance,  with  prostrating  weariness  and  many  other 
ailments. 

*  Often  followed  by  swelling  of  the  face,  of  the  hands  and  feet, 


124  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Menses  of  watery  blood  or  of  brown  clots  of  blood. 

Menses  of  very  fetid  blood. 

Menses  accompanied  with  many  ailments,  swoons 
or  (mostly  stitching)  headaches,  or  contractive,  spas- 
modic, cutting  pains  in  the  abdomen  and  in  the  small 
of  the  back;  she  is  obliged  to  lie  down,  vomit,  etc. 

Polypi  in  the  vagina. 

Leucorrhoea  from  the  vagina,  one  or  several  days 
before,  or  soon  after,  the  monthly  flow  of  blood,  or 
during  the  whole  time  from  the  one  menstrual  dis- 
charge to  the  other,  with  a  diminution  of  the  menses, 
or  continuing  solely  instead  of  the  menses;  the  flow  is 
like  milk,  or  like  white,  or  yellow  mucus,  or  like  acrid, 
or  sometimes  like  fetid,  water. ^ 

painful  spasms  in  the  breast  and  the  abdomen,  innumerable  ail- 
ments from  nervous  debility,  excessive  sensitiveness,  as  well  in 
general,  as  of  particular  sensory  organs,  etc.,  and  before  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  flow,  anxious  dreams,  frequent  awakenings  with  a 
rush  of  blood  to  the  head,  palpitation,  restlessness,  etc.  With  a 
more  violent  flow  of  blood  from  the  uterus,  there  are  often  cutting 
pains  in  the  one  side  of  the  abdomen  and  in  the  groin;  the  cutting 
pain  sometimes  descends  into  the  rectum  and  into  the  thigh;  then 
she  frequently  cannot  urinate,  or  sit  down,  on  account  of  her 
pains;  after  these  pains  the  abdomen  aches  as  if  it  were  festering. 
'  Leucorrhoea,  especially  the  more  malignant  kind,  is  accom- 
panied by  an  innumerable  multitude  of  ailments.  Not  to  mention 
the  lesser  ones  (such  as  the  itching  of  the  pudenda  and  the  vagina, 
with  excoriation  on  the  outside  of  the  pudenda  and  the  adja- 
cent part  of  the  thigh,  especially  in  walking),  hysterical  states  of 
all  kinds  follow  the  more  severe  cases  of  this  troublesome  flux,  as 
also  disturbances  of  the  mind  and  spirit,  melancholy,  insanity,  epi- 
lepsy, etc.  Often  it  comes  in  the  form  of  an  attack,  and  then  it  is 
preceded  by  a  digging  in  the  one  side  of  the  abdomen,  or  by  burn- 
ing in  the  stomach,  in  the  lower  abdomen,  in  the  vagina  or  stitches 
in  the  vagina  and  in  the  mouth  of  the   uterus,  or  a  constrictive 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  125 

Premature  births. 

During  pregnancies  great  weariness,  nausea,  fre- 
quent vomiting,  swoons,  painful  varicose  veins  on  the 
thighs  and  the  legs,  and  also  at  times  on  the  labia, 
hysteric  ailments  of  various  kinds,  etc. 

Coryza  at  once,  whenever  she  comes  into  the  open 
air;  then  usually  a  stuffed  coryza  while  in  her  room. 

Dry  coryza  and  a  stuffed  nose  often,  or  almost  con- 
stantly, also  sometimes  with  intermissions. 

Fluent  coryza  at  the  least  taking  of  cold,  therefore, 
mostly  in  the  inclement  season  and  when  it  is  wet. 

Fluent  coryza,  very  often,  or  almost  constantly, 
also  in  some  cases  uninterruptedly. 

He  cannot  take  cold,  even  though  there  have  been 
strong  premonitory  symptoms  of  it,  simultaneously 
with  other  great  ailments  from  the  itch  malady. 

Hoarseness,  after  the  least  amount  of  speaking;  she 
must  vomit  in  order  to  clear  her  voice. 

Hoarseness,  also  sometimes  aphony  (she  cannot 
speak  loud  but  must  whisper),  after  a  slight  cold. 

Constant  hoarseness  and  aphony  for  years;  he  can- 
not speak  a  loud  word. 

Suppuration  of  the  larynx  and  the  bronchia  (laryngo- 
bronchial  phthisis).^ 

Hoarseness  and  catarrh  very  often,  or  almost  con- 
stantly; his  chest  is  continually  affected. 

pain  in  the  uterus  and  pressure  toward  the  vagina  as  if  everything 
were  about  to  fall  out,  also  at  times  most  keen  pains  in  the  small 
of  the  back;  the  flatus  is  obstructed,  causing  pain,  etc.  Has  the 
so-called  uterine  cancer  any  other  origin  than  this  (Psora) 
malady  ? 

^Inflammation  of  the  larynx  (croup)  cannot  take  place  with  any 
child  that  is  free  from  latent  Psora  or  has  been  made  free  from  it 
by  treatment. 


126  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Cough;  frequent  irritation  and  crawling  in  the 
throat;  the  cough  torments  him,  until  perspiration 
breaks  out  on  his  face  (and  on  his  hands). 

Cough,  which  does  not  abate  until  there  is  retching 
and  vomiting,  mostly  in  the  morning  or  in  the  even- 
ing. 

Cough,  which  teiminates  every  time  with  sneezing. 

Cough  mostly  in  the  evening  after  lying  down  and 
whenever  the  head  lies  low. 

Cough,  waking  the  patient  up  after  the  first  brief 
sleep. 

Cough,  especially  in  the  night. 

Cough,  worse  after  awaking  in  the  morning. 

Cough,  worse  after  eating. 

Cough,  at  once  with  every  deep  breath. 

Cough,  causing  a  sensation  of  soreness  in  the  chest, 
or  at  times  stitches  in  the  side  of  the  chest  or  the  ab- 
domen. 

Dry  cough. 

Cough,  with  yellow  expectoration  resembling  pus, 
with  or  without  spitting  of  blood. ^ 

Cough,  with  excessive  expectoration  of  mucus  and 
sinking  of  the  strength  (mucous  phthisis). 

Attacks  of  whooping  cough.' 

^  Suppurative  pulmonary  phthisis  has  probably  seldom  any  other 
cause  than  this  malady,  even  when  it  seems  as  if  the  fumes  of 
quicksilver  or  arsenic  had  caused  it ;  at  least  most  of  these  cases  of 
suppurative  phthisis  originate  in  pneumonias  mismanaged  with 
blood-letting,  and  this  disease  may  always  be  considered  as  the 
manifestation  of  latent  Psora. 

'  She  is  suddenly  compelled  to  cough,  but  cannot  do  so,  as  her 
breath  fails  her,  even  to  suffocation,  with  a  dark-red,  bloated  face; 
usually  the  oesophagus  is  then  also  constricted,  so  that  not  a  drop 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  127 

Violent,  at  times  unbearable,  stitches  in  the  chest  at 
every  breath  ;  cough  impossible  for  pain  ;  without  in- 
flammatory fever  (spurious  pleurisy). 

Pain  in  the  chest  on  walking,  as  if  the  chest  was 
about  to  burst. 

Pressive  pain  in  the  chest,  at  deep  breathing  or  at 
sneezing. 

Often  a  slightly  constrictive  pain  in  the  chest,  which, 
when  it  does  not  quickly  pass,  causes  the  deepest  de- 
jection.^ 

Burning  pain  in  the  chest. 

Frequent  stitches  in  the  chest,  with  or  without 
cough. 

Violent  stitches  in  the  side  ;  with  great  heat  of  the 
body,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  breathe,  on  account  of 
stitches  in  the  chest  with  hemoptysis  and  headache  ; 
he  is  confined  to  his  bed. 

Night-mare  ;  he  usually  suddenly  awakes  at  night 
from  a  frightful  dream,  but  cannot  move,  nor  call,  nor 
speak,  and  when  he  endeavors  to  move,  he  suffers  in- 
tolerable pains,  as  if  he  were  being  torn  to  pieces.'' 

Obstruction  of  the  breath,  with  stitching  pains  in 
the  chest  at  the  slightest  amount  of  walking  f  he  can- 
not go  a  step  farther  (angina  pectoris). 

Asthma,  merely  when  moving  the  arms,  not  while 
walking. 

of  water  will  pass;  after  eight  or  ten  minutes,  there  follow  eructa- 
tions from  the  stomach,  and  the  spasm  terminates. 

^  Usually  the  attacks  last  from  evening  to  morning,  the  whole 
night. 

*  Such  attacks,  in  some  cases,  also  occur  several  times  in  one 
night,  especially  when  he  has  not  been  in  the  open  air  during  the 
day. 

'  Especially  when  ascending  a  height. 


128  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Attacks  of  suffocation  especially  after  midnight ; 
the  patient  has  to  sit  up,  sometimes  he  has  to  leave 
his  bed,  stand  stooping  forward,  leaning  on  his  hands; 
he  has  to  open  the  windows,  or  go  out  into  the  open 
air,  etc. ;  he  has  palpitations  ;  these  are  followed  by 
eructations  or  yawning,  and  the  spasm  terminates  with 
or  without  coughing  and  expectoration. 

Palpitation  with  anxiety,  especially  at  night. 

Asthma,  loud,  difficult,  at  times  also  sibilant  respira- 
tion. 

Shortness  of  breath. 

Asthma,  on  moving,  with  or  without  cough. 

Asthma,  mostly  while  sitting  down. 

Asthma,  spasmodic  ;  when  she  comes  into  the  open 
air  it  takes  her  breath. 

Asthma,  in  attacks,  lasting  several  weeks. 

Dwindling  of  the  breasts,  or  excessive  enlargement 
of  the  same,  with  retroceding  nipples. 

Erysipelas  on  one  of  the  breasts  (especially  while 
nursing), 

A  hard,  enlarging  and  indurating  gland  with  lancin- 
ating pains  in  one  of  the  mammae.' 

Itching,  also  moist  and  scaly  eruptions  around  the 
nipples. 

In  the  small  of  the  back,  in  the  back  and  in  the  nape 
of  the  neck,  drawing  (tearing),  tensive  pains. 

Lancinating,  cutting,  painful  stiffness  of  the  nape  of 
the  neck;  of  the  small  of  the  back. 

Pressive  pain  between  the  shoulder-blades. 

Sensation  of  pressure  upon  the  shoulders. 

'  Is  it  probable  that  the  different  varieties  of  cancer  of  the  breast 
have  any  other  origin  than  this  Psora  malady  ? 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  129 

In  the  limbs,  drawing  (tearing),  tensive  pains,  partly 
in  the  muscles  and  partly  in  the  joints  (rheumatism). 

In  the  periosteum,  here  and  there,  especially  in  the 
periosteum  of  the  long  bones,  pressive  and  pressive- 
drawing  pains. ^ 

Stitching  pains  in  the  fingers  and  toes.' 

Stitches  in  the  heels  and  soles  of  the  feet  while 
standing. 

Burning  in  the  soles  of  the  feet.^ 

In  the  joints  a  sort  of  tearing,  like  scraping  on  the 
bone,  with  a  red,  hot  swelling  which  is  painfully  sen- 
sitive to  the  touch  and  to  the  air,  with  unbearably 
sensitive,  peevish  disposition  (gout,  podagra,  chiragra, 
gout  in  the  knees,  etc.).* 

The  joints  of  the  fingers,  swollen  with  pressive 
pains,  painful  when  touching  and  bending  them. 

Thickening  of  the  joints;  they  remain  hard  swollen, 
and  there  is  pain  on  bending  them. 

The  joints,  as  it  were,  stiff,  with  painful,  difficult 
motion,  the  ligaments  seem  too  short.* 

Joints,  painful  on  motion.® 

^  These  spots  then  also  pain  on  being  touched,  as  if  they  were 
bruised  or  sore. 

*  In  worse,  chronic  cases,  this  is  aggravated  into  a  cutting  pain. 
'  Especially  at  night  under  a  feather  bed. 

*  The  pains  are  either  worse  in  daytime,  or  at  night.  After  every 
attack,  and  when  the  inflammation  is  past,  the  joints  of  the  hand 
are  painful,  as  also  those  of  the  knee,  the  foot,  those  of  the  big  toe 
when  moved,  when  be  stands  up,  etc.,  they  feel  intolerably  be- 
numbed and  the  limb  is  weakened. 

^E.g.,  the  (endo  Achillis  on  standing  erect,  stiffness  of  the 
tarsus,  of  the  knees,  either  transient  (.after  sitting,  when  rising),  or 
permanent  (contraction). 

''^.  ^.,the  shoulder-joint  on  raising  the  arm;  the  tarsus  pains 
on  treading  as  if  it  was  about  to  break. 


130  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Joints  crack  on  moving,  or  they  make  a  snapping 
noise. 

The  joints  are  easily  sprained  or  strained.^ 

Increasing  disposition  to  strains  and  to  overlift  one- 
self even  at  a  very  sHght  exertion  of  the  muscles,  even 
in  slight  mechanical  work,  in  reaching  out  or  stretch- 
ing for  something  high  up,  in  lifting  things  that  are 
not  heavy,  in  quick  turns  of  the  body,  pushing,  etc. 
Such  a  tension  or  stretching  of  the  muscles  often  then 
occasion  long  confinement  to  the  bed,  swoons,  all 
grades  of  hysterical  troubles,^  fever,  hemoptysis,  etc., 
while  persons  who  are  not  Psoric  lift  such  burdens  as 
their  muscles  are  able  to,  without  the  slightest  after 
effects.' 

The  joints  are  easily  sprained  at  any  false  move- 
ment.* 

^  E.  g.,  the  tarsus,  the  wrist-joint,  the  joint  of  the  thumb. 

^ Often  also,  at  once  severe  headache  in  the  crown  of  the  head, 
which  is  then  also  painful  externally  when  touched,  or  suddenly  a 
pain  in  the  small  of  the  back,  or  pain  in  the  uterus,  not  unfre- 
quently  stitches  in  the  side  of  the  breast,  or  between  the  shoulder 
blades,  which  check  the  respiration,  or  painful  stiffness  of  the  neck 
or  spine,  frequently  audible  eructations,  etc. 

'The  common  people,  especially  in  the  country,  seek  alleviation 
through  a  sort  of  mesmeric  stroking,  but  without  lasting  effects; 
the  tendency  to  overlifting  nevertheless  remains.  It  is  usually  a 
woman  (called  a  stroking  woman)  who  makes  with  the  tips  of  her 
thumbs  passes  over  the  shoulder  blades  toward  the  shoulders  or 
along  the  spine,  sometimes  also  from  the  pit  of  the  stomach  along 
below  the  ribs,  only  they  usually  exert  too  strong  a  pressure  while 
stroking. 

^■E.  g.,  the  ankle  at  a  false  step,  so  also  the  shoulder-joint.  Ot 
this  kind  is  also  the  gradual  luxation  of  the  hip-joint  (/.  e.,  of  the 
head  of  the  femur  from  the  acetabulum,  when  the  leg  then  be- 
comes too  long  or  too  short,  causing  limping). 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  131 

In  the  joint  of  the  foot  there  is  pain  on  treading,  as 
if  it  would  break. 

Softening  of  the  bones,  curvature  of  the  spine  (de- 
formity, hunchback),  curvature  of  the  long  bones  of 
the  thighs  and  legs  {morbus  angliciis,  rickets). 

Fragility  of  the  bones. 

Painful  sensitiveness  of  the  skin,  the  muscles  and  of 
the  periosteum  on  a  moderate  pressure.^ 

Intolerable^  pain  in  the  skin  (or  in  the  muscles,  or 
in  the  periosteum)  of  some  part  of  the  body  from  a 
slight  movement  of  the  same  or  of  a  more  distant 
part;  e.  g.,  from  writing  there  arises  a  pain  in  the 
shoulder  or  in  the  side  of  the  neck,  etc.,  while  sawing 
or  performing  other  hard  labor  with  the  same  hand 
causes  no  pain;  a  similar  pain  in  the  adjacent  parts, 
from  speaking  and  moving  the  mouth;  pain  in  the  lips 
and  in  the  back  at  slight  touch. 

Numbness  of  the  skin  or  the  muscles  of  certain  parts 
and  limbs.' 


'As  when  he  moderately  strikes  against  something,  it  becomes 
very  painful  and  for  a  long  time;  the  parts  on  which  he  lies  in  bed 
are  veiy  painful,  wherefore  he  frequently  turns  over  at  night;  the 
posterior  muscles  of  the  thigh  and  the  bone  on  which  he  sits  are 
quite  sore;  a  slight  stroke  with  the  hand  on  the  thighs  causes  great 
pain.  A  slight  knock  against  a  hard  object  leaves  blue  marks, 
suffusion  of  blood. 

'Of  incredible  variety.  Often  burning,  jerking,  lancinating, 
but  often  indescribable,  are  these  pains  which  communicate  a 
similar  intolerable  excessive  sensitiveness  to  the  mind.  These 
pains  thus  affect  chiefly  the  upper  parts  of  the  body,  or  the  face 
{tic  douloureux),  or  the  skin  of  the  neck,  etc  ,  at  even  a  gentle 
touch,  in  speaking  and  chewing — in  the  shoulder  at  a  slight  press- 
ure, or  movement  of  the  finger. 

'The  sense  of  touch  is  lacking;  the  parts  feel  hard  and  tumid, 
either  periodically  or  permanently  (constant  insensibility). 


132  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Dying  off  of  certain  fingers  or  of  the  hands  or  feet.' 

CrawHng  or  also  prickHng  formication  (as  from  limbs 
going  to  sleep)  in  the  arms,  in  the  legs  and  in  other 
parts  (even  in  the  finger-tips). 

A  crawling,  or  whirling,  or  an  internally  itching 
restlessness,  especially  in  the  lower  limbs  (in  the  even- 
ing in  bed  or  early  on  awaking) ;  they  must  be 
brought  into  another  position  every  moment. 

Painful  sensation  of  cold  in  various  .parts. 

Burning  pains  in  various  parts  (frequently  without 
any  change  in  the  usual  external  bodily  temperature). 

Coldness,  repeated  or  constant  of  the  whole  body, 
or  of  the  one  side  of  the  body;  so  also  of  single  parts, 
cold  hands,  cold  feet  which  frequently  will  not  get 
warm  in  bed. 

Chilliness,  constant,  even  without  any  change  in  the 
external  bodily  temperature. 

Frequent  flushes  of  heat,  especially  in  the  face,  more 
frequently  with  redness  than  without;  sudden,  violent 
sensation  of  heat  during  rest,  or  in  slight  motion, 
sometimes  even  from  speaking,  with  or  without  per- 
spiration breaking  out. 

Warm  air  in  the  room  or  at  church  is  exceedingly 
repugnant  to  her,  makes  her  restless,  causes  her  to 
move  about  (at  times  with  a  pressure  in  the  head,  over 
the  eyes,  not  infrequently  alleviated  by  epistaxis). 

Rushes  of  blood,  also  at  times  a  sensation  of  throb- 
bing in  all  the  arteries  (while  he  often  looks  quite  pale, 
with  a  feeling  of  prostration  throughout  the  body). 

^  The  limb  then  becomes  white,  bloodless,  without  feeling  and 
quite  cold,  often  for  hours,  especially  while  it  is  cool  (stroking 
with  a  piece  of  zinc  toward  the  tips  of  the  fingers  or  the  toes  usu- 
ally drives  it  away  quickly,  but  only  as  a  palliative). 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  133 

Rush  of  blood  to  the  head. 

Rush  of  blood  to  the  chest. 

Varices,  varicose  veins  in  the  lower  limbs  (varices 
on  the  pudenda),  also  on  the  arms  (even  with  men), 
often  with  tearing  pains  in  them  (during  storms),  or 
with  itching  in  the  varices.^ 

Erysipelas,  partly  in  the  face  (with  fever),  partly 
on  the  limbs,  on  the  breast  while  nursing,  especially  in 
a  sore  place  (with  a  pricking  and  burning  pain). 

Whitlow,  paronychia  (sore  finger  with  festering 
skin). 

Chilblains  (even  when  it  is  not  winter)  on  the  toes 
and  fingers,  itching,  burning  and  lancinating  pains. 

Corns,  which  even  without  external  pressure  cause 
burning,  lancinating  pains. 

Boils  (furuncles),  returning  from  time  to  time,  es- 
pecially on  the  nates,  the  thighs,  the  upper  arms  and 
the  body.  Touching  them  causes  fine  stitches  in  them. 

Ulcers  on  the  thighs,  especially,  also  upon  the 
ankles  and  above  them  and  on  the  lower  part  of  the 
calves,  with  itching,  gnawing,  tickling  around  the 
borders,  and  a  gnawing  pain  as  from  salt  on  the  base 
of  the  ulcer  itself;  the  parts  surrounding  are  of  brown 
and  bluish  color,  with  varices  near  the  ulcers,  which, 
during  storms  and  rains,  often  cause  tearing  pains,  es- 
pecially at  night,  often  accompanied  with  erysipelas 
after  vexation  or  fright,  or  attended  with  cramps  in 
the  calves. 

Tumefaction  and  suppuration  of  the  humerus,  the 
femur,  the  patella,  also  of  the  bones  of  the  fingers  and 
toes  {^spina  ventosa). 

'  The  swellings  of  the  arteries  (aneurismata)  seem  to  have  no 
other  origin  than  the  Psora. 


134  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Thickening  and  stiffening  of  the  joints. 
Eruptions,  either  arising  from  time  to  time  and 
passing  away  again;  some  voluptuously  itching  pus- 
tules, especially  on  the  fingers  or  other  parts,  which, 
after  scratching,  burn  and  have  the  greatest  similarity 
to  the  original  itch-eruption; 

or  tiettlerash,  like   stings  and   water-blisters, 

mostly  with  burning  pain; 
or  pimples  without  pain  in  the  face,  the  chest, 

the  back,  the  arms  and  the  thighs; 
or  herpes  in  fine  miliary  grains  closely  pressed 
together  into  round,  larger  or  smaller 
spots  of  mostly  reddish  color,  sometimes 
dry,  sometimes  moist,  with  itching, 
similar  to  the  eruption  of  itch  and  with 
burning  after  rubbing  them.  They  con- 
tinually extend  further  to  the  circumfer- 
ence, with  redness,  while  the  middle 
seems  to  become  free  from  the  eruption 
and  covered  with  smooth,  shining  skin 
{herpes  circinatus).  The  moist  herpes 
on  the  legs  are  called  salt-rheum; 
or  crusts  raised  above  the  surrounding  skin, 
round  in  form,  with  deep-red,  painless 
borders,  with  frequent  violent  stitches  on 
the  parts  of  the  skin  not  yet  affected; 
.  or  small,  round  spots  on  the  skin,  covered  with 
bran-like,  dry  scales,  which  often  peel  off 
and  are  again  renewed  without  sensation; 
or  red  spots  of  the  skin,  which  feel  dry,  with 
burning  pain;  somewhat  raised  above  the 
rest  of  the  skin. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  135 

Freckles,  small  and  round,  brown  or  brownish  spots 
in  the  face,  on  the  hands  and  on  the  chest,  without 
sensation. 

Liver  spots,  large  brownish  spots  which  often  cover 
whole  limbs,  the  arms,  the  neck,  the  chest,  etc.,  with- 
out sensation  or  with  itching. 

Yellowness  of  the  skin,  yellow  spots  of  a  like  nature 
around  the  eyes,  the  mouth,  on  the  neck,  etc.,  with- 
out sensibility.' 

Warts  on  the  face,  the  lower  arm,  the  hands,  etc.^ 

Encj'sted  tumors  in  the  skin,  the  cellular  tissue  be- 
neath it,  or  in  the  bursce  nmcoscE  of  the  tendons  (ex- 
ostosis), of  various  forms  and  sizes,  cold  without  sensi- 
bility. =* 

Glandular  swellings  arOund  the  neck,  in  the  groin, 
in  the  bend  of  the  joints,  the  bend  of  the  elbow,  of  the 
knee,  in  the  axillae,*  also  in  the  breasts. 

Dr^'ness  of  the  (scarf)  skin  either  on  the  whole  body 
with  inability  to  perspire  through  motion  and  heat,  or 
only  in  some  parts.* 

'  After  riding  in  a  carriage,  jellowness  of  the  skin  conies  on 
Diost  quickly,  if  it  is  not  yet  constant  but  only  occasional. 

*  Especially  in  youth.  Many  remain  only  a  short  time  and  pass 
away  to  give  place  to  another  symptom  of  Psora. 

'  The  fungus  hematodes,  which  has  lately  become  such  a 
dreadful  plague,  has,  according  to  the  conclusions  I  am  compelled 
to  draw  from  several  cases,  no  other  source  than  Psora. 

*  At  times  they  pass  over,  after  lancinating  pains,  into  a  sort  of 
chronic  suppuration,  in  which,  however,  instead  of  pus,  only  a 
colorless  mucus  is  secreted. 

*  Especially  in  the  hands,  the  outer  side  of  the  arms  and  legs, 
and  even  in  the  face;  the  skin  is  dry,  rough,  parched,  feels 
chapped,  and  often  has  scales  like  bran. 


136  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Disagreeable  sensation  of  dryness  over  the  whole 
body  (also  in  the  face,  around  and  in  the  mouth,  in 
the  throat,  or  in  the  nose,  although  the  breath  passes 
freely  through  it). 

Perspiration  comes  too  easily  from  slight  motion  ; 
even  while  sitting,  he  is  attacked  with  perspiration  all 
over,  or  merely  on  some  parts  ;  e.  g.,  almost  constant 
perspiration  of  the  hands  and  feet,^  so  also  strong 
perspiration  in  the  axillae''  and  around  the  pudenda. 

Daily  morning  sweats,  often  causing  the  patient  to 
drip,  this  for  many  years,  often  with  sour  or  pungent- 
sour  smell.* 

One-sided  perspiration,  only  on  one  side  of  the  body, 
or  only  on  the  upper  part  of  the  body,  or  only  on  the 
lower  part. 

Increasing  susceptibility  to  colds,  either  of  the  whole 
body  (often  even  from  repeatedly  wetting  the  hands, 
now  with  warm  water,  then  with  cold,  as  in  washing 
clothes),  or  only  susceptibility  of  certain  parts  of  the 
body,  of  the  head,  the  neck,  the  chest,  the  abdomen, 
tHe  feet,  etc.,  often  in  a  moderate  or  slight  draught, 
or  after  slightly  moistening  these  parts  ;*  even  from 

'  The  latter  is  usually  very  fetid  and  so  abundant  that,  after  even 
a  short  walk,  the  soles  of  the  feet,  the  heels  and  toes  are  soaked 
and  sore. 

*  Not  infrequently  of  red  color  or  of  a  rank  smell  like  that  of 
he  goats  or  that  of  garlic. 

'  Here  belongs  the  perspiration  of  Psoric  children  on  their  head 
after  going  to  sleep  in  the  evening. 

*  The  ailments  following  from  it,  immediately  afterwards,  are 
then  considerable  and  manifold  :  Pains  in  the  limbs,  headaches, 
catarrh,  sore  throat,  and  inflammation  of  the  throat,  coryza,  swell- 
ing of  the  glands  of  the  neck,  hoarseness,  cough,  dyspnoea,  stitches 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  137 

being  in  a  cooler  room,  in  a  rainy  atmosphere,  or  with 
a  low  barometer. 

So-called  zveather  propliets,  i.  e.,  renewed  severe 
pains  in  parts  of  the  body  which  were  formerly  in- 
jured, wounded,  or  broken,  though  they  have  since 
been  healed  and  cicatrized  ;  this  renewed  pain  sets  in, 
when  great  changes  of  the  weather,  great  cold,  or  a 
storm  are  imminent,  or  when  a  thunder  storm  is  in  the 
air. 

Watery  swelling,  either  of  the  feet  alone,  or  in  one 
foot,  or  in  the  hands,  or  the  face,  or  the  abdomen,  or 
the  scrotum,  etc.,  alone,  or  again  cutaneous  swelling 
over  the  whole  body  (dropsies). 

Attacks  of  sudden  heaviness  of  the  arms  and  legs. 

Attacks  of  paralytic  weakness  and  paralytic  lassi- 
tude of  the  one  arm,  the  one  hand,  the  one  leg,  with- 
out pain,  either  arising  suddenly  and  passing  quickly, 
or  commencing  gradually  and  constantly  increasing. 

Sudden  bending  of  the  knee. 

Children  fall  easily,  without  any  visible  cause.  Also 
similar  attacks  of  weakness,  with  adults,  in  the  legs, 
so  that  in  walking  one  foot  glides  this  way  and  the 
other  that  way,  etc. 

While  walking  in  the  open  air  sudden  attacks  of 
faintness,  especially  in  the  legs.^ 

in  the  chest,  fever,  troubles  of  digestion,  colic,  vomiting,  diar- 
rhoea, stomachache,  rising  of  water  from  the  stomach,  also  stitches 
in  the  face  and  other  parts,  jaundice-like  color  of  the  skin,  etc. 
No  person  who  is  not  Psoric  ever  suffers  the  least  after-effects  from 
such  causes. 

^  At  times  the  feeling  of  faintness  seems  to  rise  up  even  to  the 
scrobiculus   cordis,  where   it   turns  into  a  ravenous  hunger,  which 
suddenly  deprives  him  of  all  strength  ;  he  is  attacked  with  tremor 
and  has  immediately  to  lie  down  for  a  while. 
10 


138  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

While  sitting,  the  patient  feels  intolerably  weary, 
but  stronger  while  walking. 

The  predisposition  to  spraining  and  straining  the 
joints  at  a  mis-step,  or  a  wrong  grasp,  increases  at 
times  even  to  dislocation,  e.  g.,  in  the  tarsus,  the 
shoulder-joint,  etc. 

The  snapping  and  cracking  of  the  joints  at  any 
motion  of  the  limb  increases  with  a  disagreeable  sen- 
sation. 

The  going  to  sleep  of  the  limbs  increases  and  fol- 
lows on  slight  causes,  e.  g.,  in  supporting  the  head 
with  the  arm,  crossing  the  legs  while  sitting,  etc. 

The  painful  cramps  in  some  of  the  muscles  increase 
and  come  on  without  appreciable  cause. 

Slow,  spasmodic  straining  of  the  flexor  muscles  of 
the  limbs. 

Sudden  jerks  of  some  muscles  and  limbs  even  while 
waking  ;  e.  g.,  of  the  tongue,  the  lips,  the  muscles  of 
the  face,  of  the  pharynx,  of  the  eyes,  of  the  jaws,  of 
the  hands  and  of  the  feet. 

Tonic  shortening  of  the  flexor  muscles  (tetanus). 

Involuntary  turning  and  twisting  of  the  head,  or  the 
limbs,  with  full  consciousness  (St.  Vitus'  dance). 

Sudden  fainting  spells  and  sinking  of  the  strength, 
with  loss  of  consciousness. 

Attacks  of  tremor  in  the  limbs,  without  anxiety. 
Continuous,  constant  trembling,  also  in  some  cases 
beating  with  the  hands,  the  arms,  the  legs. 

Attacks  of  loss  of  consciousness,  lasting  a  moment 
or  a  minute,  with  an  inclination  of  the  head  to  the  one 
shoulder,  with  or  without  jerks  of  one  part  or  the 
other. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  139 

Epilepsies  of  various  kinds. 

Almost  constant  yawning,  stretching  and  straining 
of  the  limbs. 

Sleepiness  during  the  day,  often  immediately  after 
sitting  down,  especially  after  meals. 

Difficulty  in  falling  asleep,  when  abed  in  the  even- 
ing;  he  often  lies  awake  for  hours. 

He  passes  the  nights  in  a  mere  slumber. 

Sleeplessness,  from  anxious  heat,  every  night,  an 
anxiety  which  sometimes  rises  so  high,  that  he  must 
get  up  from  his  bed  and  walk  about. 

After  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  no  sleep,  or  at 
least  no  sound  sleep. 

As  soon  as  he  closes  his  eyes,  all  manner  of  phantastic 
appearances  and  distorted  faces  appear. 

In  going  to  sleep,  she  is  disquieted  by  strange, 
anxious  fancies;  she  has  to  get  up  and  walk  about. 

Very  vivid  dreams,  as  if  awake;  or  sad,  frightful, 
anxious,  vexing,  lascivious  dreams. 

Loud  talking,  screaming,  during  sleep. 

Sonmambulism;  he  rises  up  at  night,  while  sleeping 
with  closed  eyes,  and  attends  to  various  duties;  he 
performs  even  dangerous  feats  with  ease,  without 
knowing  anything  about  them  when  awake. 

Attacks  of  suffocation  while  sleeping  (nightmare). 

Various  sorts  of  severe  pains  at  night,  or  nocturnal 
thirst,  dryness  of  the  throat,  of  the  mouth,  or  frequent 
urinating  at  night. 

Early  on  awaking,  dizzy,  indolent,  unrefreshed,  as  if 
he  had  not  done  sleeping  and  more  tired  than  in  the 
evening,  when  he  lay  down;  it  takes  him  several  hours 
(and  only  after  rising)  before  he  can  recover  from  this 
weariness. 


140  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

After  a  very  restless  night,  he  often  has  more 
strength  in  the  morning,  than  after  a  quiet,  sound 
sleep. 

Intermittent  fever,  even  when  there  are  no  cases 
about,  either  sporadic  or  epidemic,^  or  endemic;  the 
form,  duration  and  type  of  the  fever  are  very  various; 
quotidian,  tertian,  quartan,  quintan  or  every  seven 
days. 

Every  evening,  chills  with  blue  nails. 

Every  evening,  single  chills. 

Every  evening,  heat,  with  a  rush  of  blood  to  the 
head,  with  red  cheeks,  also  at  times  an  intervening 
chill. 

Intermittent  fever  of  several  weeks'  duration,  fol- 
lowed by  a  moist  itching  eruption  lasting  several 
weeks,  but  which. is  healed  again  during  a  like  period 
of  intermittent  fever,  and  alternating  thus  for  years. 

Disturbances  of  the  mind  and  spirit  of  all  kinds.  ^ 

Melancholy  by  itself,  or  with  insanity,  also  at  times 
alternating  with  frenzy  and  hours  of  rationality. 

Anxious  oppression,  early  on  awaking. 

Anxious  oppression  in  the  evening  after  going  to 
bed.' 

'  Epidemic  intermittent  fevers  probably  never  seize  a  man  who  is 
free  from  Psora,  so  that  wherever  there  is  a  susceptibility  to  them, 
it  is  to  be  accounted  a  symptom  of  Psora. 

^  I  have  never  either  in  my  practice,  nor  in  any  insane  asylum, 
seen  a  patient  suffering  from  melancholy,  insanity,  or  frenzy 
whose  disease  did  not  have  Psora  as  its  foundation,  complicated  at 
times,  however,  though  rarely,  with  syphilis. 

"This  causes  some  patients  to  break  out  into  a  strong  perspira- 
tion; others  feel  from  it  merely  flushes  of  blood  and  throbbing  in  all 
the  arteries;  with  others,  the  anxious  oppression  tends  to  constrict 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  141 

Anxiety,  several  times  a  day  (with  and  without 
pains),  or  at  certain  hours  of  the  day  or  of  the  night; 
usually  the  patient  then  finds  no  rest,  but  has  to  run 
hither  and  thither,  and  often  falls  into  perspiration. 

Melancholy,  palpitation  and  anxiousness  causes  her 
at  night  to  wake  up  from  sleep  (mostly  just  before  the 
beginning  of  the  menses). 

Mania  of  self-destruction^  (spleen.^). 

the  throat,  threatening  suffocation,  while  others  have  a  sensation, 
as  if  all  the  blood  in  their  arteries  were  standing  still,  causing  an- 
guish. With  others,  this  oppression  is  associated  with  anxious 
images  and  thoughts,  and  seems  to  rise  from  them,  while  with 
others,  there  is  oppression  without  anxious  ideas  and  thoughts. 

'  This  kind  of  disease  of  the  mind  or  spirit,  which  is  also  merely 
psoric,  seems  not  to  have  been  taken  into  consideration.  Without 
feeling  any  anxiety,  or  anxious  thoughts,  therefore,  also,  without 
any  one's  perceiving  such  anxiety  in  them,  apparently  in  the  full 
exercise  of  their  reason,  they  are  impelled,  urged,  yea,  compelled 
by  a  certain  feeling  of  necessity,  to  self-destruction.  They  are  only 
healed  by  a  cure  of  Psora,  if  their  utterances  are  noticed  in  titne. 
I  say  in  time,  for  in  the  last  stages  of  this  kind  of  insanity  it  is 
peculiarly  characteristic  of  this  disease,  not  to  utter  anything 
about  such  a  determination  to  anyone.  This  frenzy  manifests 
itself  in  fits  of  one-half  or  of  whole  hours,  usually  in  the  end 
daily,  often  at  certain  times  of  the  day.  But  besides  these  fits  of 
destructive  mania,  5-uch  persons  have  usually  ako  fits  of  anxious 
oppression,  which  seem,  however,  to  be  independent  of  the  former 
fits,  and- come  at  other  hours,  accompanied  partly  with  pulsation 
in  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  but  during  these  they  are  not  tormented 
with  the  desire  of  taking  their  own  life.  These  attacks  of  anxiety 
which  seem  to  be  more  of  a  bodily  nature,  and  are  not  connected 
with  the  other  train  of  thoughts,  may  also  be  lacking,  while  the 
fits  of  suicidal  mania  rule  in  a  high  degree;  they  may  also  return, 
when  that  mania  is  in  a  great  part  extinguished  through  the  anti- 
psoric  remedies,  so  that  the  two  seem  to  be  independent  of  one 
another,  though  they  have  the  same  original  malady  for  their 
foundation. 


142  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

A  weeping  mood;  they  often  weep  for  hours  with- 
out knowing  a  cause  for  it/ 

Attacks  of  fear;  e.  g.,  fear  of  fire,  of  being  alone,  of 
apoplexy,  of  becoming  insane,  etc. 

Attacks  of  passion,  resembling  frenzy. 

Fright  caused  by  the  merest  trifles;  this  often  causes 
perspiration  and  trembling. 

Disinclination  to  work,  in  persons  who  else  are  most 
industrious;  no  impulse  to  occupy  himself,  but  rather 
the  most  decided  repugnance  thereto.'' 

Excessive  sensitiveness.' 

Irritability  from  weakness." 

^  This  is  a  symptom,  however,  which  seems  to  be  caused  by  the 
diseased  state,  especially  of  the  female  sex,  in  order  to  soothe 
temporarily  more  and  greater  nervous  disorders. 

'Such  a  person,  when  she  desired  to  begin  one  of  her  domestic 
occupations,  was  seized  with  anxiety  and  oppression;  her  limbs" 
trembled,  and  she  became  suddenly  so  weary,  she  had  to  lie  down. 

'AH  physical  and  psychical  impressions,  even  the  weaker  and 
the  weakest,  cause  a  morbid  excitement,  often  in  a  high  degree. 
Occurrences  affecting  the  mind,  not  only  such  as  are  of  sad  and 
vexatious  kind,  but  also  those  of  a  joyous  kind,  cause  surprising 
ailments  and  disorders;  touching  tales,  yea,  even  thinking  of  them 
and  recalling  them,  cause  a  tumultuous  excitement  of  the  nerves, 
and  drive  the  anxiety  into  the  head,  etc.  Even  a  little  reading 
about  indifferent  things,  or  looking  attentively  at  an  object;  e.  g., 
while  sewing,  attentively  listening  even  to  indifferent  things,  too 
bright  a  light,  the  loud  talking  of  several  people  at  the  same  time, 
even  single  tones  on  a  musical  instrument,  the  ringing  of  bells, 
etc.,  cause  harmful  impressions:  trembling,  weariness,  headache, 
chills,  etc.  Often  the  senses  of  smell  and  taste  are  immoderately 
sensitive.  In  many  cases  even  moderate  bodily  motion,  or  speak- 
ing, also  moderate  warmth,  cold,  open  air,  wetting  the  skin  with 
water,  etc.  Not  a  few  suffer  even  in  their  room  from  a  sudden 
change  in  the  weather,  while  most  of  these  patients  complain  dur- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  143 

Quick  change  of  moods;  often  very  merry  and  ex- 
uberantly so,  often  again  and,  indeed,  very  suddenly, 
dejection;  e.  g.,  on  account  of  his  disease,  or  from 
other  trifling  causes.  Sudden  transition  from  cheer- 
fulness to  sadness,  or  vexation  without  a  cause. 

These  are  some  of  the  leading  symptoms  observed 
by  me,  which,  if  they  are  often  repeated,  or  become 
constant,  show  that  the  internal  Psora  is  coming  forth* 
from  its  latent  state.  The}'  are  at  the  same  time  the 
elements,  from  which  (under  unfavorable  external 
conditions)  the  itch-malady,  as  it  manifests  itself,  com- 
poses the  illimitable  number  of  chronic  diseases,  and 
with  one  man  assumes  the  one  form,  with  another  an- 
other, according  to  the  bodily  constitution,  defects  in 
the  education,  habits,  employment  and  external  cir- 
cumstances, as  also  modified  by  the  various  psychical 
and  physical  impressions.  It  thus  unfolds  into  mani- 
fold forms  of  disease,  with  so  many  varieties,  that 
they  are  by  no  means  exhausted  by  the  disease-symp- 
toms enumerated  in  the  pathology  of  the  old-school, 
and  erroneously  designated  there  as  well-defined,  con- 
stant and  peculiar  diseases.  * 

ing  stormy  and  wet  weather,  few  of  dry  weather  with  a  clear  sky. 
The  full  moon  also  with  some  persons,  and  the  new  moon  with 
others,  has  an  unfavorable  effect. 

*They  bear  the  following  names:  Scrofula,  rickets,  spina  ventosa, 
atrophy,  marasmus,  consumption,  pulmonary  consumption  .asthma, 
tabes  mucosa,  laryngeal  phthisis,  chronic  catarrh,  constant  coryza, 
difficult  dentition,  worms  and  consequent  diseases,  dyspepsia,  ab- 
domina,  cramps,  hypochondria,  hysteria,  dropsy,  dropsy  of  the  ab- 
domenl  dropsy  of  the  ovaries,  of  the  uterus,  hydrocele,  hydroce- 
phalus, amenorrhcea,  dysmenorrhoea,  uterine  hemorrhages,  hemate- 
mesis,  hemoptysis  and  hemorrhages,  vaginal  hemorrhages,  dysuria, 


144  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

These  are  the  characteristic  secondary  symptoms* 
of  the  long-unacknowledged,  thousand-headed  mon- 
ster, pregnant  with  disease,  the  Psora,  the  original 
miasmatic  malady  which  now  makes  its  manifest  ap- 
pearance, f 

ischuria,  enuresis,  diabetes,  catarrh  of  the  bladder,  hematuria, 
.nephralgia,  gravel  of  the  kidneys,  stricture  of  the  urethra,  strict- 
ure of  the  intestines,  blind  and  running  piles,  fistula  of  the 
rectum,  difficult  stools,  constipation,  chronic  diarrhoea,  indura- 
tion of  the  liver,  jaundice,  cyanosis,  heart  diseases,  palpitation, 
spasms  of  the  chest,  dropsy  of  the  chest,  abortion,  sterility,  metro- 
mania,  impotence,  induration  of  the  testicles,  dwindling  of  the 
testicles,  prolapsus  uteri,  inversion  of  the  womb,  inguinal,  femoral 
and  umbilical  hernias,  dislocations  of  the  joints  from  an  internal 
cause,  curvature  of  the  spine,  chronic  inflammation  of  the  eyes, 
fistula  lachrymalis,  short-sightedness  and  long-sightedness,  day 
blindness  and  night  blindness,  obscuration  of  the  cornea,  cata- 
racts, glaucoma,  amaurosis,  deafness,  deficient  smell  or  taste, 
chronic  one-sided  headache,  megrim,  tic  douloureux,  tinea  capitis, 
scab,  crusta  lactea,  tetters  (herpes),  pimples,  nettlerash,  encysted 
tumors,  goitre,  varices,  aneurism,  erysipelas,  sarcomas,  osteo- 
sarcoma, scirrhus,  cancer  of  the  lips,  cheeks,  breast,  uterus,  fungus 
hematodes,  rheumatism,  gout  in  the  hips,  knotty  gout,  podagra, 
apoplectic  fits,  swoons,  vertigo,  paralysis,  contractions,  tetanus, 
convulsions,  epilepsy,  St.  Vitus'  dance,  melancholy,  insanity,  im- 
becility, nervous  debility,  etc. 

*The  supreme  royal  councillor  Kopp,  an  Allopath,  who  is  un- 
willingly and  only  half  and  half  approaching  Homoeopathy,  pre- 
tends to  have  seen  chronic  diseases  disappear  of  themselves — he 
may  have  seen  some  particular  symptoms  disappear,  which  symp- 
toms the  old  school,  in  its  shortsighted  fashion,  considered  with 
him  as  so  many  entire  diseases ! 

fl  will  grant  that  the  doctrine,  that  "all  chronic  non-venereal 
diseases  which  are  not  extinguishable  by  the  vital  force,  in  an  or- 
derly course  of  life,  while  external  circumstances  are  favorable,  but 
which  even  increase  with  the  years,  are  of  psoric  origin,"   is  for 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  145 

all  who  have  not  fully  weighed  my  reasons  and  for  all  narrow- 
minded  people,  too  great,  too  overwhelming.  But  it  is  none  the 
less  true.  Or  should  we  regard  such  a  chronic  disease  as  not  being 
psoric,  because  the  patient  cannot  remember  that  he  at  some- 
time, all  the  way  back  to  his  birth,  has  had  several  or  more  (in- 
tolerable voluptuously)  itching  pustules  of  itch  on  his  skin,  or 
(since  the  itch-disease  is  considered  as  something  disgraceful)  is 
not  willing  to  acknowledge  it?  His  non-acknowledgment  here 
proves  nothing  to  the  contrary. 

Since  at  all  times,  all  the  innumerable  chronic  diseases  resulting 
from  an  acknowledged  preceding  itch  (when  this  has  not  been 
cured)  are  ineradicable  through  the  vital  force,  and  advance  in 
their  equable  course  as  psoric  ailments,  and  continually  aggra- 
vated; so  long  as  the  doubters  of  the  psora  doctrine  cannot  show 
me  any  other  source  which  is  at  least  as  probable  for  a  (non- 
veneric)  ailment,  which,  despite  of  favorable  external  conditions, 
correct  diet,  good  morality  and  vigorous  bodily  constitution, 
nevertheless  increases  every  year,  without  any  preceding  infection 
from  itch  so  far  as  memory  goes;  so  long -as  I  have  on  my  side  an 
overpowering  analogous  probability,  i.  e.,  lOo  to  i,  that  also  the 
individual  cases  of  chronic  disease,  which  show  a  like  progression, 
probably  also  are,  yea,  must  be  of  a  psoric  nature,  although  the 
patient  cannot  or  will  not  remember  a  preceding  infection. 

It  is  easy  to  doubt  matters  which  cannot  be  laid  before  our  ocu- 
lar vision,  but  in  itself  this  doubt  proves  nothing  at  all,  for  accord- 
ing to  the  old  rule  of  logic  :  negantis  est  probare. 

To  prove  the  Psoric  nature  of  these  chronic  diseases  without 
acknowledged  infection,  we  do  not  even  need  the  fact  that  the 
anti-psoric  remedies  prove  effectual  therein  ;  this  serves  only  like 
the  proof  to  a  correctly  solved  mathematical  problem. 

Now  since,  in  addition,  the  other  remedies,  although  also  selected 
according  to  the  similarity  of  their  symptoms,  do  not  by  far  yield 
so  durable  and  thorough  a  cure  in  such  chronic  diseases,  as  those 
which  are  recognized  as  anti-psoric,  and  which  are  selected  in  as 
Homoeopathic  a  manner,  because  these  more  than  the  others  are 
adequate  to  the  whole  extent  of  the  endless  number  of  symptoms 
of  the  great  Psora  malady  :  I  do  not  see  why  men  will  deny  to  the 
latter  the  title  of  the  especially  anti-psoric  remedies,  unless  this 
springs  from  dogmatism. 


146  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

And  just  as  little  is  there  any  good  reason  for  contradicting  me, 
when  I  [Organon,  ?  73)  explain  the  acute  diseases  which  return 
from  time  to  time  ;  e.g.,  inflammations  of  the  throat,  of  the  chest, 
etc.,  as  flaming  up  from  a  latent  P^ora,  simply  because  their  in- 
flammatory state,  as  they  say,  is  mostly  to  be  combatted  by  means 
of  the  anti-phlogistic  remedies,  which  are  not  anti-psoric ;  i.  e.^ 
Aconite,  Belladonna,  Mercury  and  the  like.  These,  nevertheless, 
have  their  source  in  a  latent  Psora,  because  their  customary  return 
cannot  be  prevented  by  anything  but  a  final  cure  with  anti-psoric 
remedies. 


Cure  of  the  Chronic  Diseases. 


CURE. 

We  now  proceed  to  the  medical  Homoeopathic  treat- 
ment of  the  inimitably  large  number  of  chronic  dis- 
eases, which,  after  the  above  gained  knowledge  of 
their  threefold  nature,  has  not,  indeed,  become  easy, 
but — what  without  this  knowledge  was  before  impos- 
sible— has  at  last  become  possible,  since  the  homoe- 
pathically  specific  remedies  for  each  one  of  these  three 
different  miasmata  have  in  great  part  been  discovered. 

The  first  two  miasmata,  which  cause  by  far  the 
smaller  part  of  the  chronic  diseases,  the  venereal 
chancre-disease  (syphilis)  and  the  figwart-disease 
(sycosis),  with  their  sequelse,  we  will  treat  first,  in 
order  that  we  may  have  a  free  path  to  the  therapeu- 
tics of  the  immeasurably  greater  number  of  the  various 
chronic  diseases  which  spring  from  Psora. 


SYCOSIS. 


First,  then,  concerning  sycosis,  as  being  that  miasma 
which  has  produced  by  far  the  fewest  chronic  diseases, 
and  has  only  been  dominant  from  time  to  time.  This 
fig-wart  disease,  which  in  later  times,  especially  dur- 
ing the  French  war,  in  the  years  1809-1814,  was  so 
widely  spread,  but  which  has  since  showed  itself  more 
and  more  rarely,  was  treated,  almost  always,  in  an 
inefficient  and  injurious  manner,  internally  with  Mer- 
cury, because  it  was  considered  homogeneous  with  the 
venereal  chancre-disease;  but  the  excrescences  on  the 
genitals  were  treated  by  Allopathic  physicians  always 
in  the  most  violent  external  way  by  cauterizing,  burn- 
ing and  cutting,  or  by  ligatures.  These  excrescences 
usually  first  manifest  themselves  on  the  genitals,  and 
appear  usually,  but  not  always,  attended  with  a  sort 
of  gonorrhoea*  from  the  urethra,  several  days  or  several 
weeks,  even  many  weeks  after  infection  through 
coition;  more  rarel}'  they  appear  dry  and  like  warts, 
more  frequently  soft,  spongy,  emitting  a  specifically 
fetid   fluid  (sweetish  and  almost  like  herring-brine), 

*  Usually  in  gonorrhoea  of  this  kind,  the  discharge  is  from  the  be- 
ginning thickish,  like  pus;  micturition  is  less  difficult,  but  the 
body  of  the  penis  swollen  somewhat  hard;  the  penis  is  also  in 
some  cases  covered  on  the  back  with  glandular  tubercles,  and  very 
painful  to  the  touch. 


150  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases 

bleeding  easily,  and  in  the  form  of  a  coxcomb  or  a  cauli- 
flower {brassica  botrytes).  These,  with  males,  sprout 
forth  on  the  glans  and  on,  or  below,  the  prepuce,  but 
with  women,  on  the  parts  surrounding  the  pudenda;  and 
the  pudenda  themselves,  which  are  then  swollen,  are 
covered  often  by  a  great  number  of  them.  When  these 
are  violently  removed,  the  natural,  proximate  effect  is, 
that  they  will  usually  come  forth  again,  usually  to  be  sub- 
jected again,  in  vain,  to  a  similar,  painful,  cruel  treat- 
ment. But  even  if  they  could  be  rooted  out  in  this  way,  it 
would  merely  have  the  consequence,  that  the  fig-wart 
disease,  after  having  been  deprived  of  the  local  symptom 
which  acts  vicariously  for  the  internal  ailment,  would 
appear*  in  other  and  much  worse  ways,  in  secondary 
ailments;  for  the  fig-wart  miasm,  which  rules  in  the 
whole  organism,  has  been  in  no  way  diminished,  either 
by  the  external  destruction  of  the  above-mentioned 
excrescences,  or  by  the  Mercury  which  has  been  used 
internally,  and  which  is  in  no  way  appropriate  to 
sycosis.  Besides  the  undermining  of  the  general 
health  by  Mercury,  which  in  this  disease  can  only  do 

*  The  miasm  of  the  other  common  gonorrhoea  seems  not  to  pene- 
trate the  whole  organism,  but  only  to  locally  stimulate  the  urinary 
organs.  They  yield  either  to  a  dose  of  one  drop  of  fresh  parsley- 
juice,  when  this  is  indicated  by  a  frequent  urgency  to  urinate,  or  a 
small  dose  of  Cannabis,  of  Cantharides,  or  of  the  Copaiva  balm, 
according  to  their  different  constitution  and  the  other  ailments  at- 
tending it.  These  should,  however,  be  always  used  in  the  higher 
and  highest  dynamizations  (potencies),  unless  a  Psora,  slumbering 
in  the  body  of  the  patient,  has  been  developed  by  means  of  a 
strongly  affecting,  irritating  or  weakening  treatment  by  Allopathic 
physicians.  In  such  a  case  frequently  secondary  gonorrhoeas  re- 
main, which  can  only  be  cured  by  an  anti-psoric  treatment. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  151 

injury,  and  which  is  given  mostly  in  very  large  doses 
and  in  the  most  active  preparations,  similar  excres- 
cences then  break  out  in  other  parts  of  the  body, 
either  whitish,  spongy,  sensitive,  flat  elevations,  in  the 
cavity  of  the  mouth,  on  the  tongue,  the  palate  and  the 
lips,  or  as  large,  raised,  brown  and  dry  tubercles  in  the 
axillae,  on  the  neck,  on  the  scalp,  etc.,  or  there  arise 
other  ailments  of  the  body,  of  which  I  shall  only  men- 
tion the  contraction  of  the  tendons  of  the  flexor  mus- 
cles, especially  of  the  fingers. 

The  gonorrhoea  dependent  on  the  fig-wart  miasma,  as 
well  as  the  above-mentioned  excrescences  (/.  e.,  the 
whole  sycosis),  are  cured  most  surely  and  most  thor- 
oughly through  the  internal  use  of  Thuja,*  which,  in 
this  case,  is  Homoeopathic,  in  a  dose  of  a  few  pellets  as 
large  as  poppy  seeds,  moistened  with  the  dilution 
potentized  to  the  decillionthf  degree,  and  when  these 
have  exhausted  theiraction  after  fifteen,  twenty,  thirty, 
forty  days,  alternating  with  just  as  small  a  dose  of 
Nitric  acid,  diluted  to  the  decillionth  degree,  which 
must  be  allowed  to  act  as  long  a  time,  in  order  to  re- 
move the  gonorrhoea  and  the  excrescences;  /.  e.,  the 
whole  sycosis.  It  is  not  necessar}'  to  use  any  external 
application,  except  in  tlie  most  inveterate  and  difficnlt 
cases,  when  the  larger  fig-warts  may  be  moistened 
every  day  with  the  mild,  pure  juice  pressed  from  the 
green  leaves  of  Thuja,  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity 
of  Alcohol. 

*  Materia  Medica  Pura,  Part  V. 

t  If  further  doses  of  Thuja  are  required,  they  are  used  most 
efficiently  from  other  potencies  (viii.,  vi.,  v.,  ii.),  a  change  of  the 
modification  of  the  remedy,  which  facilitates  and  strengthens  its 
ablity  of  aflfecting  the  vital  force. 


152  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

But  if  the  patient  was  at  the  same  time  affected 
with  another  chronic  aihnent,  as  if  usual  after  the  vio- 
lent treatment  of  fig-warts  by  Allopathic  physicians, 
then  we  often  find  developed  Psora*  complicated  with 
sycosis,  when  the  Psora,  as  is  often  the  case,  was 
latent  before  in  the  patient.  At  times,  when  a  badly 
treated  case  of  venereal  chancre  disease  had  preceded, 
both  these  miasmata  are  conjoined  in  a  three-fold  com- 
plication with  syphilis.  Then  it  is  necessary  first  to 
come  to  the  assistance  of  the  most  afflicted  part,  the 
Psora,  with  the  specific  anti-psoric  remedies  given  be- 
low, and  then  to  make  use  of  the  remedies  for  sycosis, 
before  the  proper  dose  of  the  best  preparation  of  Mer- 
cury, as  will  be  described  below,  is  given  against  the 
syphilis;  the  same  alternating  treatment  may  be  con- 
tinued, until  a  complete  cure  is  effected.  Only,  each 
one  of  these  three  kinds  of  medicine  must  be  given  the 
proper  time  to  complete  its  action. 

In  this  reliable  cure  of  sycosis  from  within,  no  ex- 
ternal remedy  (except  the  juice  of  Thuja  in  inveterate 
bad  cases)  must  be  applied  or  laid  on  the  fig-warts, 
only  clean,  dry  lint,  if  they  are  of  the  moist  variety. 

*This  Psora  is  hardly  ever  found  in  its  developed  state  (and  thus 
capable  of  entering  into  complication  with  other  miasmata)  with 
young  people  who  have  just  been  infected  and  seized  by  the  fig- 
wart  disease,  and  who  have  not  had  to  pass  through  the  usual 
Mercurial  treatment,  which  never  runs  its  course  without  the  most 
violent  assaults  on  the  constitution;  by  this  pernicious  derange- 
ment of  the  whole  organism,  the  Psora,  even  if  slumbering  ever  so 
soundly,  will  be  awakened,  if  as  is  often  the  case,  it  was  present 
within. 


SYPHILIS. 


The  second  chronic  miasma,  which  is  more  widely 
spread  than  the  figwart-disease,  and  which  for  three 
and  a  half  [now  four]  centuries  has  been  the  source  of 
many  other  chronic  ailments,  is  the  miasm  of  the 
venereal  disease  proper,  the  chancre-disease  (syphilis). 
This  disease  only  causes  difficulties  in  its  cure,  if  it 
is  entangled  (complicated)  with  a  Psora  that  has  been 
already  far  developed — with  sycosis  it  is  complicated 
but  rarely,  but  then  usually  at  the  same  time  with 
Psora. 

In  the  cure  of  the  venereal  disease,  three  states  are 
to  be  distinguished  : 

1.  When  syphilis  is  still  alone  and  attended  with 
its  associated  local  symptom,  the  chancre,  or  at  least 
if  this  has  been  removed  by  external  applications,  it  is 
still  associated  with  the  other  local  symptom,  which 
in  a  similar  manner  acts  vicariously  for  the  internal 
disorder,  the  bubo.* 

2.  When  it  is  alone,  indeed,  i.  e.,  without  any  com- 
plication with  a  second  or  third  miasma,  but  has 
already  been  deprived  of  the  vicarious  local  symptom, 
the  chancre  (and  the  bubo). 

*  Very  rarely  the  impure  coition  is  at  once  followed  by  the  bubo 
alone  without  any  preceding  chancre;    usually  the  bubo  only 
comes  after  the  destruction  of  the  chancre  by  local  applications, 
and  is  a  very  troublesome  substitute  for  the  same. 
11 


154  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases 

3.  When  it  is  already  complicated  with  another 
chronic  disease,  i.  e. ,  with  a  Psora  already  developed, 
while  the  local  symptom  may  either  be  yet  present,  or 
may  have  been  removed  b}^  local  applications. 

The  chancre  appears,  after  an  impure  coition,  usu- 
ally between  the  seventh  and  fourteenth  days,  rarely 
sooner'  or  later,  mostly  on  the  member  infected  with 
the  miasma,  first  as  a  little  pustule,  which  changes 
into  an  impure  ulcer  with  raised  borders  and  stinging 
pains,  which  if  not  cured  remains  standing  on  the  same 
place  during  man's  lifetime,  only  increasing  with  the 
years,  while  the  secondary  symptoms  of  the  venereal 
disease,  syphilis,  cannot  break  out  as  long  as  it  exists. 

In  order  to  help  in  such  a  case,  the  Allopathic  physi- 
cian destroys  this  chancre,  by  means  of  corroding, 
cauterizing  and  desiccating  substances,  wrongly  con- 
ceiving it  to  be  a  sore  arising  merely  from  without 
through  a  local  infection,  thus  holding  it  to  be  a 
merely  local  ulcer,  such  also  it  is  declared  to  be  in 
their  writings.  They  falsely  suppose,  that  when  it 
appears,  no  internal  venereal  disease  is  as  yet  to  be 
thought  of,  so  that  when  locally  exterminating  the 
chancre,  they  suppose  that  they  remove  all  the  vene- 
real disease  from  the  patient  at  once,  if  only  he  will 
not  permit  this  ulcer  to  remain  too  long  in  its  place, 
so  that  the  absorbent  vessels  do  not  get  time  to  trans- 
fer the  poison  into  the  internal  organism,  and  so  cause 
by  delay  a  general  infection  of  the  system  with  syphilis. 
They  evidently  do  not  know  that  the  venereal  infec- 
tion of  the  whole  body  commenced  with  the  very 
moment  of  the  impure  coition,  and  was  already  com- 
pleted  before   the  appearance  of  the  chancre.     The 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  155 

Allopathic  doctor  destroys  in  his  blindness,  through 
local  applications,  the  vicarious  external  symptom 
(the  chancre  ulcer),  which  kind  nature  intended  for 
the  alleviation  of  the  internal  extensive  venereal  gen- 
eral disease  ;  and  so  he  inexorably  compels  the  organ- 
ism to  replace  the  destroyed  first  substitute  of  the  in- 
ternal venereal  malady  (the  chancre)  by  a  far  more 
painful  substitute,  the  bubo,  which  hastens  onward  to 
suppuration  ;  and  when  the  Allopath,  as  is  usually  the 
case,  also  drives  out  this  bubo  through  his  injurious 
treatment,  then  nature  finds  itself  compelled  to  de- 
velop the  internal  malady  through  far  more  trouble- 
some secondary  ailments,  through  the  outbreak  of  the 
whole  chronic  syphilis,  and  nature  accomplishes  this, 
though  slowly  (frequently  not  before  several  months 
have  elapsed),  but  with  iinf ailing  certainty.  Instead 
of  assisting,  therefore,  the  Allopath  does  injury. 

John  Hunter  says  :*  "  Not  one  patient  out  of  fifteen 
will  escape  syphilis,  if  the  chancre  is  destroyed  by 
mere  external  applications,"  and  in  another  passage 
in  his  bookf  he  says  :  "The  result  of  destro3'ing  the 
chancre  ever  so  early,  and  even  on  the  first  day  of  its 
appearance,  if  this  is  effected  by  local  applications, 
was  always  the  consequent  outbreak  of  syphilis." 

Just  as  emphatically  Fabre  declares  :t  "Syphilis 
always  follows  on  the  destruction  of  the  chancre  by 
local  applications.     He  relates  that  Petit  cut  off  a  part 

*  Abhandl.  uber  die  vener.  Krankheit  (Treatise  on  the  Venereal 
Disease),  I/Cipsic,  1787,  p.53i. 

t  Abhandl.  uber  die  vener.  Krankheit,  Leipsic,  1787,  pp.  551-553. 

X  Fabre,  Lettres,  Supplhnent  a  son  traite  des  maladies  veu^rien- 
nes.     Paris,  1786. 


156  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

of  the  labia  of  a  woman,  who  had  thereon  for  a  few 
days  a  venereal  chancre  ;  the  wound  healed,  but 
syphilis,  nevertheless,  broke  out." 

How,  then,  could  physicians,  despite  all  these 
facts  and  testimonies,  close  their  eyes  and  ears  to  the 
truth  :  that  the  whole  venereal  disease  (syphilis)  was 
already  developed  within,  before  the  chancre  could 
appear,  and  that  it  was  a  most  unpardonable  mistake 
to  forward  the  certain  outbreak  of  the  syphilis,  already 
present  within,  into  the  venereal  disease,  by  ddving^ 
away  and  destroying  the  chancre  by  external  means, 
and  thereby  destroying  the  fair  opportunity  afforded 
of  curing  this  disease  in  the  easiest  and  most  convinc- 
ing manner,  through  the  internal  specific  remedy, 
while  the  chancre  was  yet  fully  present!  The  disease  is 
not  cured  except  when  through  the  effect  of  the  in- 
ternal remedy  alone,  the  chancre  is  cured ;  but  it  is 
fully  extinguished,  as  soon  as  through  the  action  of 
the  internally  operating  medicine  alone  (without  the 
addition  of  any  external  remedy)  the  chancre  is  com- 
pletely cured,  without  leaving  any  trace  of  its  former 
presence. 

I  have  never,  in  my  practice  of  more  than  fifty 
years,  seen  any  trace  of  the  venereal  disease  break 
out,  so  long  as  the  chancre  remained  untouched  in  its 
place,  even  if  this  were  a  space  of  several  years 
(for  it  never  passes  away  of  itself),  and  even  when  it 
had  largely  increased  in  its  place,  as  is  natural  in  time 
with  the  internal  augmentation  of  the  venereal  dis- 
order, which  increase  takes  place  in  time  in  every 
chronic  miasma. 

But  whenever  anyone  is  so  imprudent,  as  to  destroy 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  157 

this  vicarious  local  symptom,  the  organism  is  read}'  to 
cause  the  internal  syphilis  to  break  out  into  the 
venereal  disease,  since  the  general  venereal  disease 
dwells  in  the  body  from  the  first  moment  of  infection. 

For  in  the  spot,  into  which  at  the  impure  coition  the 
syphilitic  miasma  had  been  first  rubbed  in  and  had 
been  caught,  it  is,  in  the  same  moment,  no  more  local; 
the  whole  living  body  has  already  received  (perceived) 
its  presence,  the  miasma  has  already  become  the  prop- 
erty of  the  whole  organism.  All  wiping  off  and  wash- 
ing oflf,  however  speedy,  and  with  whatever  fiuid  this 
be  done  (and  as  we  have  seen,  even  with  the  exsec- 
tion  of  the  part  affected),  it  is  too  late — is  in  vain. 
There  is  not  to  be  perceived,  indeed,  any  morbid 
transmutation  in  that  spot  during  the  first  days,  but 
the  specific  venereal  transformation  takes  place  in  the 
internal  of  the  body  irresistibly,  from  the  first  moment 
of  infection  until  syphilis  has  developed  itself  through- 
out the  whole  body,  and  only  then  (^not  before),  nature 
loaded  down  by  the  internal  malady,  brings  forth  the 
local  symptom  peculiar  to  this  malady,  the  chancre, 
usually  in  the  place  first  infected;  and  this  symptom 
is  intended  by  nature  to  soothe  the  internal  completed 
malady. 

Therefore,  also,  the  cure  of  the  venereal  disease  is 
effected  most  easily  and  in  the  most  convincing  manner, 
so  long  as  the  chancre  (the  bubo)  has  not  yet  been 
driven  out  by  local  applications,  so  long  as  the  chancre 
(the  bubo)  still  remains  unchanged,  as  a  vicarious  symp- 
tom of  the  internal  syphilis.  In  this  state,  and  espe- 
cially when  it  is  not  yet  complicated  with  Psora,  it 
may  be  asserted  from  manifold  experience  and  with 


158  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases, 

good  reason,  that  there  is  on  earth  no  chronic  miasma, 
no  chronic  disease  springing  from  a  miasma,  which  is 
more  curable  and  more  easily  curable  than  this. 

In  thisyfr^/  simple  state  and  simple  cure,  when  the 
chancre  (or  the  bubo)  is  still  present,  and  there  is  no 
complication  with  a  developed  Psora,  no  prominent 
chronic  ailment  from  a  Psoric  origin  (usually  there  is 
none  such  with  young,  lively  persons),  and  with  latent 
Psora  syphilis  combines  as  little  as  sycosis — in  this 
first  state  it  needs  only  one  little  dose  of  the  best 
mercurial  remedy,  in  order  to  cure  thoroughly  and  for- 
ever the  whole  syphilis  with  its  chancre,  within  four- 
teen days.  In  a  few  days  after  taking  such  a  dose  of 
mercury,  the  chancre  (without  any  external  applica- 
tion) becomes  a  clean  sore  with  a  little  mild  pus,  and 
heals  of  itself — as  a  convincing  proof,  that  the  venereal 
malady  is  also  fully  extinguished  within;  and  it  does 
not  leave  behind  the  least  scar,  or  the  least  spot, 
showing  any  other  color  than  the  other  healthy  skin. 
But  the  chancre,  which  is  not  treated  with  external 
application,  would  never  heal,  if  the  internal  syphilis 
had  not  been  already  annihilated  and  extinguished  by 
the  dose  of  mercury;  for  so  long  as  it  exists  in  its  place, 
it  is  the  natural  and  unmistakable  proof  of  even  the 
least  remainder  of  an  existing  syphilis. 

I  have,  indeed,  in  the  second  edition  of  the  first  part 
of  Materia  Medica  Piira  (Dresden,  1822),  described 
the  preparation  of  the  pure  semi-oxide  of  mercury, 
and  I  still  consider  this  to  be  one  of  the  most  excellent 
anti-syphilitic  medicines;  but  it  is  difficult  to  prepare 
it  in  sufficient  purity.  In  order,  therefore,  to  reach 
this   wished   for  goal  in  a  still  simpler  manner,   free 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  159 

from  all  detours,  and  yet  just  as  perfectly  (for  in  the 
preparation  of  medicines  we  cannot  proceed  in  too 
simple  a  manner),  it  is  best  to  proceed  in  the  way 
given  below,  so  that  one  grain  of  quite  pure  running 
quick-silver  is  triturated  three  times,  with  100  grains 
of  sugar  of  milk  each  time,  up  to  the  millionth  at- 
tenuation, in  three  hours,  and  one  grain  of  this  third 
trituration  is  dissolved,  and  then  potentized  through 
-twenty-seven  diluting  phials  up  to  (x)  the  decillionth 
degree,  as  is  taught  at  the  end  of  this  volume,  with  re- 
spect to  the  dynamization  of  the  other  dry  medicines. 

I  formerly  used  the  billionth  dynamization  (ii)  of 
this  preparation  in  1,  2  or  3  fine  pellets  moistened 
with  this  dilution,  as  a  dose,  and  this  was  done  suc- 
cessfully for  such  cures;  although  the  preparation  of 
the  higher  potencies  (iv,  vi,  vii),  and  finally  the  decill- 
ionth potency  (x),  show  some  advantages,  in  their 
quick,  penetrating  and  3'et  mild  action  for  this  purpose; 
but  in  cases  where  a  second  or  third  dose  (however 
seldom  needed)  should  be  found  necessary,  a  lower 
potency  may  then  be  taken. 

Just  as  the  continued  presence  of  the  chancre  (or 
the  bubo)  during  the  cure  shows  the  continued  pres- 
ence of  syphilis,  so  when  the  chancre  (and  the  bubo) 
heal  merely  from  the  internally  applied  Mercury,  with- 
out any  addition  of  a  remedy  used  for  the  local  symp- 
tom, and  yet  this  disappears  without  leaving  any  trace 
of  its  former  presence;  it  is  incontrovertibly  sure,  that 
also  every  trace  of  the  internal  syphilis  was  extin- 
guished at  the  moment  of  the  completion  of  the  cure 
of  the  chancre  or  the  bubo. 

But  just  as  incontrovertibly  does  it  follow  that  every 


160  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

disappearance  of  the  chancre  (or  the  bubo)  owing  to 
a  mere  local  destruction,  since  it  was  no  real  cure 
founded  on  the  extirpation  of  the  internal  venereal  dis- 
ease through  the  internall}'  given  appropriate  Mercury 
medicine,  leaves  to  us  the  certainty  that  the  syphilis 
remains  behind;  and  every  one  who  supposes  himself 
healed  by  any  such  merely  local,  pretended  cure,  is  to 
be  considered  as  much  venereally  diseased  as  he  was 
before  the  destruction  of  the  chancre. 

The  second  state  in  which,  as  mentioned  above, 
syphilis  may  have  to  be  treated,  is  the  rare  case  when 
an  otherwise  healthy  person,  affected  with  no  other 
chronic  disease  (and  thus  without  any  developed 
Psora),  has  experienced  this  injudicious  driving  away 
of  the  chancre  through  local  applications,  effected  by 
an  ordinary  physician  in  a  short  time  and  without  at- 
tacking the  organism  overmuch  with  internal  and  ex- 
ternal remedies.  Even  in  such  a  case, — as  we  have 
not  as  yet  to  combat  any  complication  with  Psora — all 
outbreaks  of  the  secondary  venereal  disease  may  be 
avoided,  and  the  man  may  be  freed  from  every  trace  of 
the  venereal  miasma  through  the  before-mentioned 
simple  internal  cure  effected  by  a  like  dose  of  the 
above-mentioned  Mercurial  medicine — although  the 
certainty  of  his  cure  can  no  more  be  so  manifestly 
proved  as  if  the  chancre  had  still  been  in  existence  dur- 
ing this  internal  cure,  and  as  if  it  had  become  a  mild 
ulcer  simply  through  this  internal  remedy,  and  had 
been  thus  manifestly  cured  of  itself. 

But  here  also  there  may  be  found  a  sign  of  the  non- 
completed  as  well  as  of  the  completed  cure  of  the  in- 
ternal syphilis  which  has  not  yet  broken  out  into  the 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  161 

venereal  disease;  but  this  sign  will  only  manifest  itself 
to  an  exact  observer.  In  case  the  chancre  has  been 
driven  out  through  local  application,  even  if  the  rem- 
edies used  had  not  been  very  acrid,  there  will  always 
remain  in  the  place  where  it  stood,  as  a  sign  of  the  un- 
extinguished internal  syphilis,  a  discolored,  reddish, 
red  or  blue  scar;  while  on  the  contrary  when  the  cure 
of  the  whole  venereal  disease  has  been  effected  by  the 
internal  remed}^  and  if  thus  the  chancre  heals  of  itself 
without  the  action  of  an  external  application,  and 
when  it  disappears  because  it  is  no  more  needed  as  a 
substitute  and  alleviator  of  an  internal  venereal  dis- 
order which  now  has  ceased,  then  the  spot  of  the 
former  chancre  can  no  more  be  recognized,  for  the 
skin  covering  that  place  will  be  just  as  smooth  and  of 
the  same  color  as  the  rest,  so  that  no  trace  can  be  dis- 
cerned of  the  spot  where  the  chancre  had  stood. 

Now  if  the  Homoeopathic  physician  has  carefully 
taken  cognizance  of  the  presence  of  the  discolored 
scar  remaining  after  the  quick,  merely  local  expulsion 
of  the  venereal  local  symptom,  as  a  sign  of  the  unex- 
tinguished internal  syphilis,  and  if  the  person  to  be 
healed  is  otherwise  in  good  health,  and  consequently 
his  venereal  disorder  is  not  yet  complicated  with  Psora, 
he  will  also,  even  now,  be  able  to  free  him  from  every 
remainder  of  the  venereal  miasma  by  one  dose  of  the 
best  preparation  of  Mercury  as  above  described,  and 
he  will  be  convinced  that  the  cure  is  completed,  from 
the  fact  that  during  the  time  of  the  activity  of  the 
specific  remedy  the  scar  will  again  assume  the  healthy 
color  of  the  other  skin  and  all  discoloration  of  that 
spot  will  disappear. 


102  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Even  when,  after  the  expulsion  of  the  chancre  by 
local  applications,  the  bubo  has  already  broken  out 
but  the  patient  is  not  yet  seized  with  any  other  chronic 
disease,  and  consequently  the  internal  syphilis  is  not 
yet  complicated  with  a  developed  Psora  (which  is 
nevertheless  a  rare  case),  the  same  treatment  will  also 
♦  here,  while  the  bubo  is  only  developing,  produce  a 
cure;  and  its  completion  will  be  recognized  by  the 
same  signs. 

In  6oth  cases,  if  they  have  been  rightly  treated,  the 
cure  is  a  complete  one,  and  no  outbreak  of  the  vene- 
real disease  need  any  more  be  apprehended. 

The  most  difficult  of  all  these  cases,  the  third,  is  still 
to  be  treated:  when  the  man  at  the  time  of  the 
syphilitic  infection  was  already  laboring  under  a 
chronic  disease,  so  that  his  syphilis  was  complicated 
with  Psora,  even  while  the  chancre  yet  existed,  or 
when,  even  while  there  was  no  chronic  disease  in  the 
body  at  the  outbreak  of  the  chancre,  and  the  indwell- 
ing Psora  could  only  be  recognized  by  its  tokens,  an 
allopathic  physician  has,  nevertheless,  destroyed  the 
local  symptom,  not  only  slowly  and  with  very  painful 
external  applications,  but  has  also  subjected  him  for  a 
long  time  to  an  internal  treatment,  weakening  and 
strongly  affecting  him,  so  that  the  general  health  has 
been  undermined  and  the  Psora  which  has  as  yet  been 
latent  within  him  has  been  brought  to  its  development 
and  has  broken  out  into  chronic  ailments,  and  these  irre- 
pressibly  combine  with  the  internal  syphilis,  the  local 
symptom  of  which  had  been  at  the  same  time  destroyed 
in  such  an  irrational  manner.  Psora  can  only  be  compli- 
cated with  the  venereal  disease  when  it  has  been  de- 
veloped and  when  it  has  ultimated  itself  in  a  manifest 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  163 

chronic  disease;  but  not  when  it  is  as  yet  latent  and 
slumbering.  By  the  latter  the  cure  of  syphilis  is  not  ob- 
structed, but  zvhen  complicated  ivith  developed  Psora, 
it  is  impossible  to  cure  the  venereal  disease  alone. 

Only  too  often,  I  should  say,  do  we  find  the  syphilis 
which  has  remained  uncured  after  the  merely  local 
destruction  of  the  chancre,  complicated  with  awakened 
Psora,  not  always  because  the  Psora  was  already  de- 
veloped before  the  venereal  infection — for  this  is  rarely 
the  case  with  young  people — but  because  it  is  violently 
awakened  and  brought  to  its  outbreak  by  the  usual 
treatment  of  the  venereal  disease.  By  means  of 
friction  with  Mercury,  large  doses  of  Calomel,  Corro- 
sive sublimate  and  similar  acrid  Mercurial  remedies 
(which  originate  fever,  dysenteric  abdominal  ailments, 
chronic  exhausting  salivation,  pains  in  the  limbs, 
sleeplessness,  etc.,  without  possessing  sufficient  anti- 
syphilitic  power  to  cui-e  the  chancre-miasma  mildly, 
quickly  and  perfectly),  they  assault  the  venereal  pa- 
tient often  for  many  months,  with  the  intermediate 
use  of  many  weakening  warm  baths  and  purgatives; 
so  that  the  internal  slumbering  Psora  (whose  nature 
causes  it  to  break  forth  in  all  great  convulsions  and  in 
the  weakening  of  the  general  health)  is  awakened  be- 
fore the  syphilis  can  be  cured  by  such  an  injudicious 
treatment,  and  thus  becomes  associated  and  compli- 
cated therewith. 

There  arises  in  this  manner  and  through  this  com- 
bination what  is  called  a  masked,  spurious  syphilis, 
and  in  England  pseudo  syphilis,  a  monster  of  a  double 
disease,*  which  no  physician  hitherto  has  been  able  to 

*  Yea,  after  such  a  treatment  it  is  even  more  than  a  double  dis- 
ease; the  sharp  Mercurial  medicines,  in  large  and  frequent  doses, 


164  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

cure,  because  no  physician  hitherto  has  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  Psora  in  its  great  extent  and  its  na- 
ture, neither  in  its  latent  nor  its  developed  state;  and 
no  one  suspected  this  dreadful  combination  with 
syphilis,  much  less  perceived  it.  No  one,  therefore, 
could  heal  the  developed  Psora,  the  only  cause  of  the 
uncurableness  of  this  bastard  syphilis, — nor  could  they 
in  consequence  free  the  syphilis  from  this  horrible 
combination  so  as  to  make  it  curable,  just  as  the  Psora 
remains  incurable  if  the  syphilis  has  not  been  extir- 
pated. 

In  order  to  reach  this  so-called  masked  venereal  dis- 
ease successfully,  the  following  rule  must  serve  the 
homoeopathic  physician:  After  removing  all  hurtful  in- 
fluences that  affect  the  patient  from  without  and  after 
settling  on  a  light  and  yet  nourishing  and  strengthen- 
ing diet  for  the  patient,  let  him  first  give  the  anti- 
psoric  medicine  which  is  homoeopathically  the  best  fit- 
ting to  the  then  prevailing  state  of  disease,  as  will  be 
shown  below,  and  when  this  medicine  has  completed 
its  action,  also  probably  a  second,  most  suitable  to  the 
still  prominent  Psora  symptoms,  and  these  should  be 
allowed  to  act  against  the  Psora,  until  they  have 
effected  all  that  can  be  at  present  done  against  it — then 
should  be  given  the  dose  above  described  of  the  best 
Mercurial  preparation  to  act  against  the  venereal  dis- 
ease for  three,  five  to  seven  weeks;  /.  c,  so  long  as  it 
will  continue  to  produce  an  improvement  in  the  vene- 
real symptoms. 

have  also  added  their  medicinal  disease,  which  when  we  consider 
in  addition  the  debility  caused  by  such  treatment,  must  place  the 
patient  in  a  most  sad  state.  In  such  a  case  Hepar  sulphuris  is 
probably  to  be  preferred  to  the  pure  Sulphur. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  165 

In  inveterate  and  difficult  cases,  however,  this  first 
course  will  hardl)'  accomplish  all  that  is  desired.  There 
usually  still  remain  some  ailments  and  disorders,  which 
cannot  be  definitely  classed  as  purely  psoric,  and 
others  which  cannot  be  classed  as  definitely  syphilitic, 
and  these  require  still  some  additional  aid.  A  repeti- 
tion of  a  similar  process  of  cure  is  here  required;  /.  e., 
first  another  application  of  one  or  more  of  the  anti- 
psoric  remedies  that  have  not  yet  been  used,  and 
which  are  homceopathically  the  most  appropriate, 
until  whatever  seems  still  unsyphilitically  morbid — 
i.  e.,  psoric — may  disappear,  when  the  before  men- 
tioned dose  of  the  Mercurial  remedy,  but  in  another 
potency,  should  be  given  again  and  allowed  to  com- 
plete its  action,  until  the  manifest  venereal  symptoms 
(the  pricking,  painful  ulcer  of  the  tonsils,  the  round 
copper-colored  spots  that  shimmer  through  the  epi- 
dermis, the  eruptive  pimples  which  do  not  itch  and 
are  found  chiefly  in  the  face  upon  a  bluish-red  founda- 
tion, the  painless  cutaneous  ulcers  on  the  scalp  and 
the  penis,  which  are  smooth,  pale,  clean,  merely 
covered  with  mucus,  and  almost  level  with  the  healthy 
skin,  etc.,  and  the  boring  nightly  pains  in  the  ex- 
ostoses) have  entirely  passed  away.  But  since  the 
secondary  venereal  symptoms  are  so  changeable  that 
their  temporary  disappearance  gives  no  certainty  of 
their  complete  extinction,  we  must  also  wait  for  that 
more  conclusive  sign  of  the  complete  extirpation  of  the 
venereal  miasm  afforded  by  the  return  of  the  healthy 
color  and  the  entire  disappearance  of  the  discoloration 
found  in  the  scar  which  remains  after  the  extirpation 
of  the  chancre  by  local,  corrosive  applications. 


166  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

I  have,  in  my  practice,  found  only  two  cases*  of  the 
threefold  complication  of  the  three  chronic  miasms, 
the  fig-wart  disease  with  the  venereal  chancre  miasm 
and  at  the  same  time  a  developed  Psora,  and  these 
cases  were  cured  according  to  the  same  method;  /.  e., 
the  Psora  was  treated  first,  then  the  one  of  the  other 
two  chronic  miasmata,  the  symptoms  of  which  were  at 
the  time  the  most  prominent,  and  then  the  last  one. 
The  remaining  psoric  symptoms  had  then  still  to  be 
combatted  with  suitable  remedies,  and  then  lastly 
what  there  yet  remained  of  sycosis  or  syphilis,  by 
means  of  the  remedies  given  above.  I  would  also 
remark  that  the  complete  cure  of  sycosis  which  has 
taken  possession  of  the  whole  organism  before  the  out- 
break of  its  local  symptom,  is  demonstrated,  like  that 
of  the  chancre  miasma,  by  the  complete  disappearance 
of  the  discoloration  on  the  spot  of  the  skin,  which  dis- 
coloration remains  after  every  merely  local  destruction 
of  the  fig-wart  as  a  sign  of  the  unextirpated  sycosis. 

*  A  master  tiler  from  the  Saxon-Erz  Mountains,  whose  dissolute 
wife  had  infected  him  with  a  venereal  disease  in  his  genitals,  con- 
cerning which  it  was  not  apparent  from  his  description  whether  it 
was  a  chancre  or  a  fig-wart,  had  been  so  maltreated  by  violent 
Mercurial  remedies  that  he  had  lost  his  uvula,  and  his  nose  was  so 
affected  that  the  fleshy  parts  had  mostly  been  eaten  away,  and  the 
remaining  part  was  swollen  and  inflamed  and  pierced  like  a  honey- 
comb with  ulcers.  This  was  attended  with  great  pain  and  an  in- 
tolerably fetid  smell.  In  addition  he  had  a  psoric  ulcer  on  the 
leg.  The  anti-psoric  remedies  improved  the  ulcers  up  to  a  certain 
degree;  they  healed  the  ulcer  on  the  leg,  they  took  away  the  burn- 
ing pain  and  most  of  the  fetid  smell  of  the  nose;  also  the  remedies 
given  to  cure  the  sycosis  caused  some  improvement — but  as  to  the 
sum  total  nothing  further  was  effected  until  he  received  a  small 
dose  of  Protoxide  of  Mercury,  after  which  everything  was  fully 
healed  and  he  was  restored  to  full  health,  excepting  the  irreparable 
loss  of  his  nose. 


PSORA. 


I  think  it  necessary  before  proceeding  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  third  chronic  miasma,  the  most  important 
of  all,  Psora,  to  premise  the  following  general  remark: 

For  the  infection  with  the  only  three  known  chronic 
miasmatic  diseases  there  is  usually  needed  but  one 
moment;  but  the  development  of  this  tinder  of  infec- 
tion, ao  that  it  becomes  a  general  disease  of  the  entire 
organism,  needs  a  longer  time.  Not  until  a  certain 
number  of  days  have  elapsed,  when  the  miasmatic  dis- 
ease has  received  its  complete  internal  development  in 
the  whole  man — not  until  then,  from  the  fulness  of  in- 
ternal suffering,  the  local  symptom  breaks  forth,  des- 
tined by  a  kind  nature  to  take  upon  itself  in  a  certain 
sense  the  internal  disease,  and  in  so  far  to  divert  it  in 
a  palliative  manner  and  to  soothe  it,  so  that  it  may 
not  be  able  to  injure  and  endanger  the  vital  economy 
too  much.  The  local  symptom  has  its  place  on  the 
least  dangerous  part  of  the  body,  the  external  skin, 
and,  indeed,  on  that  part  of  the  skin  where,  during  the 
infection,  the  miasma  had  touched  the  nearest  nerves. 

This  process  of  nature,  which  repeats  itself  con- 
tinually and  evermore  in  the  same  manner  in  chronic 
miasmata, — aye,  even  in  those  which  are  acute  and 
constant, — ought  not  to  have  escaped  the  penetration 
of  physicians,  at  least  not  in  venereal  diseases,  to  the 
treatment  of  which  they  have  applied  themselves  now 


168  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

for  more  than  three  hundred  years;  and  then  they 
could  not  have  avoided  drawing  a  conclusion  as  to  the 
process  of  nature  in  the  other  two  chronic  miasmata. 
It  was,  therefore,  irrational  and  unpardonably 
thoughtless  of  them  to  suppose  that  every  chancre 
evolved  by  the  organism  after  several  days,  often 
after  quite  a  number  of  days,  as  the  result  of  the 
completed  internal  malady,  was  a  thing  merely  adven- 
titious from  without  and  situated  on  the  skin  without 
any  internal  connection,  so  that  it  might  be  simply  re- 
moved by  cauterizing,  "so  as  to  prevent  the  poison 
from  the  chancre  {scilicet^  from  being  absorbed  into 
the  internal  parts,  and  thus  from  causing  man  to  be 
afflicted  with  the  venereal  disease."  Irrational  and 
unpardonably  thoughtless  was  this  false  idea  of  the 
origin  of  the  venereal  chancre,  which  caused  the  in- 
jurious practice  of  the  external  cauterization  of  the 
chancre,  producing  as  its  unavoidable,  shameful  effect, 
the  breaking  out  of  the  venereal  disease  from  the  in- 
ternal which  has  continued  in  its  diseased  state.  This 
has  been  the  case  in  several  hundred  thousands  of 
cases  these  last  three  centuries.  Just  as  irrational  and 
thoughtless  is  the  notion  of  physicians  of  the  old 
school,  even  of  the  most  modern  times,  that  itch  is 
merely  a  disease  of  the  skin,  in  which  the  internal 
portion  of  the  body  takes  no  part.  According  to  this 
groundless  supposition,  therefore,  nothing  better  can 
be  done  than  to  remove  this  ailment  from  the  surface 
of  the  skin,  although  the  extirpation  of  the  internal 
Psora  disease  which  causes  the  cutaneous  eruption  is 
necessary  as  an  aid,  and  when  this  is  cured  also  the 
cutaneous  ailment,  being  the  necessary  consequence 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  169 

of  the  internal  disease,  will  naturally  disappear— 
cessante  causa,  cessat  effectus. 

For  in  its  complete  state,  i.  e.,  so  long  as  the  original 
eruption  is  still  present  on  the  skin  so  as  to  assuage 
the  internal  malady,  the  entire  disease  of  the  Psora 
may  be  cured  most  easily,  quickly  and  surely. 

But  when  by  the  destruction  of  this  original  cutane- 
ous eruption,  which  acts  vicariously  for  the  internal 
malady,  it  has  been  robbed  then  the  Psora  is  put  in 
the  unnatural  position  of  dominating  in  a  merely  one- 
sided manner  the  internal  finer  parts  of  the  whole  or- 
ganism, and  thus  of  being  compelled  to  develop  its 
secondary  symptoms. 

How  important  and  necessary  the  cutaneous  erup- 
tion is  for  the  original  Psora,  and  how  carefully  in  the 
only  thorough  cure  of  itch,  that  is,  the  internal  cure, 
every  external  removal  of  the  eruption  must  be 
avoided,  we  may  see  from  the  fact  that  the  most  severe 
chronic  ailments  have  followed  as  secondary  symp- 
toms of  the  internal  Psora  after  the  original  itch- 
eruption  has  been  driven  out,  and  that  when,  in  con- 
Sequence  of  a  great  revolution  in  the  organism,  this 
itching  eruption  reappears  on  the  skin,  the  secondary 
symptoms  are  so  suddenly  removed,  that  these  grievous 
ailments,  often  of  many  years'  standing,  are  wont  to 
disappear,  at  least  temporarily,  as  if  by  a  miracle. 
See  the  before  quoted  observations  of  older  physicians, 
Nos.  1,  3,  5,  6.  8,  (9),  16,  (17),  (21),  23,  33,  35,  39,  41, 
54,  58,  60,  72,  81,  87,  89,  94. 

But  let  no  one  suppose  that  an  internal  Psora, 
which,  after  the  external  destruction  of  the  original 
cutaneous  eruption,  has  broken  out  into  secondary 
12 


170  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

chronic  ailments,  can,  through  the  reappearance  of 
such  an  itch-Hke  eruption  on  the  skin,  come  into  just 
as  normal  a  state  as  before,  or  that  it  can  be  cured 
just  as  easily  as  if  it  were  still  the  original  eruption 
and  as  if  this  had  not  been  as  3^et  removed. 

This  is  not  at  all  the  case.  Even  the  eruption  fol- 
lowing immediately  after  the  infection  has  no  such  un- 
changing constancy  and  pertinacity  on  the  skin  as  the 
chancre  and  the  figwarts  show  on  the  spots  where  they 
first  appear,*  but  not  infrequently  disappears  from  the 
skin  also  from  other  causesf  than  from  artificial  rem- 
edies used  purposely  for  its  destruction,  and  so  also 
from  other  causes  unknown.! 

So  that  the  physician  must  not  waste  any  time  even 
in  the  original  eruption,  if  he  would  complete  the  cure 
while  the  itch  disease  is  still  entire,  by  the  use  of  inter- 
nal anti-psoric  remedies.  Such  a  respite  can  be  ex- 
pected still  less  in  this  secondary  eruption,  which  has 
been  brought  out  on  the  skin  by  anj'  cause  after  the 
local  extirpation  of  the  eruption;  for  the  second  erup- 
tion is  wont  to  be  far  more  inconstant  and  changeable, 
so  that  it  often  passes  away  on  much  slighter  provoca- 
tion in  a  few  days — a  proof  that  it  lacks  much  of  the 
complete  quality  of  the  primitive  itch-eruption,  so  that 

*  Neither  of  these  ever  passes  away  of  itself,  unless  destroyed  ex- 
ternally on  purpose,  or  the  entire  disease  is  healed  internally. 

^E.g.,  through  cold,  see  No.  67  of  the  above-named  observa- 
tions; through  smallpox,  No.  39;  through  warm  baths,  No.  35. 

tSee  Nos.  9,  17,  26  (36),  50,  58,  61,  64,  65,  in  which  observations 
it  may  be  seen  at  the  same  time  that  after  such  disappearances  of 
the  original  itch  eruption  without  appreciable  cause  just  as  many 
ill  effects  are  wont  to  follow  as  when  it  has  been  driven  away  arti- 
ficially through  local  applications. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  171 

the  physician  cannot  count  on  it  in  the  thorough  cure 
of  the  Psora. 

This  proneness  to  change  in  the  itch-Uke  eruption 
which  has  been  called  a  second  time  to  the  skin,  seems 
evidently  to  be  caused  by  the  fact  that  the  internal 
Psora,  after  the  destruction  of  the  original  itch-erup- 
tion, is  unable  to  give  to  the  secondary  eruption  the 
full  qualities  belonging  to  the  primary  eruption,  and  is 
already  much  more  inclined  to  unfold  itself  in  a  variety 
of  other  chronic  diseases;  wherefore  a  thorough  cure  is 
now  much  more  difficult,  and  is  simply  to  be  conducted 
as  if  directed  against  the  internal  Psora. 

The  cure  is  not,  therefore,  advanced  b}'  producing 
such  a  secondary  eruption  through  internal  remedies, 
as  has  sometimes  been  effectually  attempted  (see  Nos. 
3,  9,  59,  89);  or  by  its  re-appearance  through  other  un- 
known causes  (see  Nos.  1,  5,  6,  8,  16,  23,  28,  29.  33,  35, 
39,  41,  54,  58,  60,  72,  80,  81,  87,  89,  94),  or,  especially, 
through  the  help  of  a  fever  (see  No.  64,  also  55,  56,  74). 
Such  a  secondary  eruption  is  always  very  transitory, 
and  so  unreliable  and  rare  that  we  cannot  build  our 
hope  of  cure  on  it,  nor  expect  from  it  the  advancement 
of  any  thorough  cure. 

But  even  if,  by  any  means,  such  a  secondary  erup- 
tion might,  after  a  fashion,  be  produced,  and  even 
were  it  in  our  power  to  retain  it  on  the  skin  for  a 
longer  period  we  cannot  at  all  count  on  it  for  an  as- 
sistance in  the  cure  of  the  whole  psoric  malady.* 

*  There  was  a  time  when,  not  yet  fully  convinced  of  this  fact,  I 
thought  that  the  cure  of  the  entire  Psora  might  be  rendered  easier 
by  an  artificial  renewal  of  the  cutaneous  eruption  effected  through 
a  sort  of  checking  of  the  perspiratory  function  of  the  skin,  so  as  to 


172  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

It  remains,  therefore,  an  established  truth  that  the 
cure  of  the  entire  destructive  Psora  through  antipsoric 
remedies  is  effected  most  easily  only  while  the  original 
eruption  of  itch  is  still  present.  From  this  it  again 
appears  how  unconscionable  it  is  of  the  allopathic  phy- 
sicians to  destroy  the  primitive  itch  eruption  through 

excite  it  homoeopathically  to  the  reproduction  of  the  eruption.  For 
this  purpose  I  found  most  serviceable  the  wearing  of  a  plaster 
mostly  on  the  back  (but  where  practicable  also  on  other  portions 
of  the  skin);  the  plaster  was  prepared  hy  gently  heating  six  ounces 
of  Burgundy  pitch,  into  which,  after  removing  it  from  the  fire,  an 
ounce  of  turpentine  produced  from  the  larch  tree  (called  Venetian 
turpentine)  was  stirred  until  it  was  perfectly  mixed.  A  portion  of 
this  was  spread  on  a  chamois  skin  (as  being  the  softest)  and  laid 
on  while  still  warm.  Instead  of  this  there  might  also  be  used  so- 
called  tree-wax  (made  of  yellow  wax  and  common  turpentine),  or 
also  taffeta  covered  with  elastic  resin;  showing  that  the  itching 
eruption  evolved  is  not  due  to  any  irritation  caused  by  the  sub- 
stance applied,  nor  does  the  plaster  first  mentioned  cause  either 
eruption  or  itching  on  the  skin  of  a  person  who  is  not  psoric.  I 
discovered  that  this  method  is  the  most  effective  to  cause  such  an 
activity  of  the  skin.  Yet,  despite  all  the  patience  of  the  sick 
persons  (no  matter  how  much  they  might  internally  be  affected 
with  the  Psora),  I  never  could  evolve  a  complete  eruption  of  itch, 
least  of  all  one  that  would  remain  for  a  time  on  the  skin.  What 
could  be  effected  was  only  that  some  itching  pustules  appeared, 
which  soon  vanished  again  when  the  plaster  was  left  off.  More 
frequently  there  ensued  a  moist  soreness  of  the  skin,  or  at  best  a 
more  or  less  violent  itching  of  the  skin,  which,  in  rare  cases,  ex- 
tended also  to  the  other  parts  not  covered  by  the  plaster.  This,  in- 
deed, would  cause  for  a  time  a  striking  alleviation  of  even  the  most 
severe  chronic  diseases  flowing  from  a  psoric  source,  e.  g.,  suppur- 
ation of  the  lungs.  But  this  much  could  not  be  attained  on  the 
skin  of  many  patients  (frequently  all  that  could  be  attained  was  a 
moderate  or  small  amount  of  itching),  or,  again,  if  I  could  produce 
a  violent  itching,  this  frequently  became  too  unbearable  for  the 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  173 

local  applications  instead  of  completely  eradicating 
this  grave  disease  from  the  whole  Hving  organism  by  a 
cure  from  within,  which  at  that  stage  is  as  yet  very 
easy,  and  by  thus  choking  off  in  advance  all  the 
wretched  consequences  that  we  must  expect  from  this 
malady  if  uncured,  /.  e.,  all  the  secondary,  chronic, 
nameless  sufferings  which  follow  it. 

The  excuse  of  the  private  physician  Tfor  the  physi- 
cian at  the  hospital  has  no  excuse  at  all)  amounts  to 
nothing.  He  will  say,  indeed  :  "If  it  is  not  known — 
and  hardly  ever  does  it  become  demonstrably  known — 
where,  when,  at  what  occasion  and  from  what  person 
avowedly  suffering  from  itch  the  infection  has  been 
derived,  then  he  could  not  discover  from  the  present, 
and  often  insignificant  little  eruption  whether  it  was 
real  itch  ;  so  he  was  not  to  be  blamed  for  the  evil  con- 
sequences, if  he  supposed  it  to  be  something  else  and 
endeavored  to  remove  it  from  the  skin  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible by  a  lotion  of  lead  solution,  or  an  ointment  of 
cadmia,  or  white  precipitate  of  mercury,  according  to 
the  wishes  of  the  aristocratic  parents." 

patient  to  sustain  it  for  a  time  sufficient  to  produce  an  internal 
cure.  When  the  plaster  then  was  removed  in  order  to  relieve  him, 
even  the  most  violent  itching,  together  with  the  eruption  present, 
disappeared  very  soon,  and  the  cure  had  not  been  essentially  ad- 
vanced by  it;  this  confirms  the  observation  made  above,  that  the 
eruption,  if  evolved  a  second  time  (and  so  also  the  itching  repro- 
duced), had  not  by  any  means  the  full  characteristics  of  the  erup- 
tion of  the  itch  which  had  originally  been  repressed,  and  was  there- 
fore of  little  assistance  in  the  real  advancement  of  a  thorough  cure 
of  the  Psora  through  internal  remedies,  while  the  little  aid  afforded 
loses  all  value  owing  to  the  often  unbearable  infliction  of  the  arti- 
ficially produced  eruption  and  itching  of  the  skin  and  the  weaken- 
ing of  the  whole  body,  which  is  inseparable  from  the  titillating 
pain. 


174  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

This  excuse,  as  above  said,  amounts  to  nothing. 
For,  first  of  all,  no  cutaneous  eruption,  of  whatever 
kind  it  may  be,  ought  to  be  expelled  through  external 
means  by  any  physician  who  wishes  to  act  conscien- 
tiously and  rationally.*  The  human  skin  does  not 
evolve  of  itself,  without  the  co-operation  of  the  rest  of 
the  living  whole,  any  eruption,  nor  does  it  become 
sick  in  any  way,  without  being  induced  and  compelled 
to  it  by  the  general  diseased  state,  by  the  lack  of  nor- 
mality in  the  whole  organism.  In  every  case  there  is 
at  the  bottom  a  disorderly  state  of  the  whole  internal 
living  organism,  which  state  must  first  be  considered  ; 
and  therefore  the  eruption  is  only  to  be  removed  by 
internal  healing  and  curative  remedies  which  change 
the  state  of  the  whole  ;  then  also  the  eruption  which 
is  based  on  the  internal  disease  will  be  cured  and 
healed  of  itself,  without  the  help  of  any  external  rem- 
edy, and  frequently  more  quickly  than  it  could  be  done 
by  external  remedies. 

Secondly,  even  if  the  physician  should  not  have  pre- 
sented to  him  the  original,  undestroyed  form  of  the 
eruption, — /'.  e.,  the  pustule  of  itch  which  in  the  begin- 
ning is  transparent,  then  quickly  filled  with  pus,  with 
a  narrow  red  margin  all  around  it, — even  if  the  erup- 
tion should  consist  only  of  small  granules  like  the 
miliary  eruption,  or  appear  like  scattered  little  pim- 
ples or  little  scabs,  still  he  cannot  for  a  moment  be  in 
doubt  as  to  whether  the  eruption  is  itch,  if  the  child 
or  even  the  suckling  only  a  few  days  old,  uninterrupt- 
edly rubs  and  scratches  the  spot,  or  if  it  is  an  adult^ 

*See  "  Organon  of  the  Healing  Art,"  fifth  edition,  \  187-203. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  175 

when  he  complains  of  the  titillation  of  a  voluptuously 
itching  eruption  (or  even  only  a  few  pimples)  which 
is  unbearable  without  scratching,  especially  in  the 
evening  and  at  night,  and  when  this  is  followed  by  a 
burning  pain.  In  such  a  case  we  can  never  doubt  as 
to  the  infection  with  itch,  though  in  genteel  and 
wealthy  families  we  can  seldom  secure  the  informa- 
tion and  the  certainty  as  to  how,  where  and  from 
whom  the  infection  has  been  derived  ;  for  there  are 
innumerable  imperceptible  occasions  whereby  this 
infection  may  be  received,  as  taught  above. 

Now  when  the  family  physician  notices  this  in  time, 
then  without  any  internal  application,  the  simple  dose 
of  one  or  two  pills  as  large  as  poppy-seeds,  moistened 
with  the  potentized  sulphur  in  alcohol,  as  described 
below,  will  fully  and  abundantly  suffice  to  cure  a  child 
and  to  deliver  it  from  the  entire  disease  of  itch,  both 
the  eruption  and  the  internal  itch  malady  (Psora). 

The  homoeopathic  physician  in  his  private  practice 
seldom  gets  to  see  and  to  treat  an  eruption  of  itch 
spread  over  a  considerable  part  of  the  skin  and  coming 
from  a  fresh  infection.  The  patients  on  account  of 
the  intolerable  itching  either  apply  to  some  old 
woman,  or  to  the  druggist  or  the  barber,  who,  one  and 
all,  come  to  their  aid  with  a  remedy  which,  as  they 
suppose,  is  immediately  effective  {e.  g.,  lard  mixed 
with  flowers  of  sulphur).  Only  in  the  practice  of  the 
barracks,  of  prisons,  hospitals,  penitentiaries  and 
orphan  asylums  those  infected  have  to  apply  to  the 
resident  physician,  if  the  surgeon  of  the  house  does 
not  anticipate  him. 

Even  in  the  most  ancient  times  when  itch  occurred, 


176  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

for  it  did  not  everywhere  degenerate  into  leprosy,  it 
was  acknowledged  that  there  was  a  sort  of  specific 
virtue  against  itch  in  sulphur ;  but  they  knew  of  no 
other  way  of  applying  it,  but  to  destroy  the  itch 
through  an  external  application  of  it,  even  as  is  done 
now  by  the  greater  part  of  the  modern  physicians  of 
the  old  school.  A.  C.  Celsus  has  several  ointments 
and  salves  (V.  28),  some  of  which  consist  merely  of 
sulphur  mixed  with  tar,  while  others  contain  also  com- 
pounds of  copper  and  other  substances  ;  these  he  pre- 
scribes for  the  expulsion  of  itch,  and  this  he  supposes 
to  be  its  cure.  So  also  the  most  ancient  physicians, 
like  the  moderns,  prescribed  for  their  itch  patients 
baths  of  warm  sulphurous  mineral  water.  Such  pa- 
tients are  usually  also  delivered  from  their  eruption 
by  these  external  sulphur  remedies.  But  that  their 
patients  were  not  really  cured  thereby,  became  mani- 
fest, even  to  them,  from  the  more  severe  ailments  that 
followed,  such  as  general  dropsy,  with  which  an  Athe- 
nian was  afflicted  when  he  drove  out  his  severe  erup- 
tion of  itch  by  bathing  in  the  warm  sulphur  baths  of 
the  island  of  Melos  (now  called  Milo),  and  of  which 
he  died.  This  is  recorded  by  the  author  of  Book  V., 
Epidemion,  which  has  been  received  among  the  writ- 
ings of  Hippocrates  (some  three  hundred  years  before 
Celsus). 

Internally  the  ancient  physicians  gave  no  Sulphur 
in  itch,  because  they,  like  the  moderns,  did  not  see 
that  this  miasmatic  disease  was,  at  the  same  time  and 
especially,  an  internal  disease. 

Modern  ph3'sicians  have  never  given  Sulphur  only, 
and   internally,  to  cure  the  itch,   because  they   have 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  177 

never  recognized  the  itch  disease  as  being  also  an  in- 
ternal and,  indeed,  chiefly  internal  disease.  They  only 
gave  it  in  connection  with  the  external  means  of  driving 
away  the  itch,  and,  indeed,  in  doses  which  would  act 
as  purgatives, — ten,  twenty  and  thirty  grains  at  a  dose, 
frequently  repeated, — so  that  it  never  became  manifest 
how  useful  or  how  injurious  this  internal  application  of 
such  large  doses,  in  connection  with  the  external  ap- 
plication, had  been;  at  least  the  whole  itch  disease 
(Psora)  could  never  be  thoroughly  healed  thereby. 
The  external  driving  out  of  the  eruption  was  simply 
advanced  by  it  as  by  any  other  purgative,  and  with 
the  same  injurious  effects  as  if  no  Sulphur  at  all  had 
been  used  internally.  For  even  if  Sulphur  is  used 
only  internally,  but  in  the  above  described  large  doses, 
without  any  external  destructive  means,  it  can  never 
thoroughly  heal  Psora;  partly  because  in  order  to  cure 
as  an  antipsoric  and  homoeopathic  medicine,  it  must 
be  given  only  in  the  smallest  doses  of  a  potentized 
preparation,  while  in  larger  and  more  frequent  doses 
the  crude  Sulphur*  in  some  cases  increases  the  malady 


*Here  it  is  proper  to  subjoin  the  words  of  an  impartial  and  even 
practical  connoisseur  of  Homoeopathy,  the  deep-thinking,  many- 
sided  scholar  and  indefatigable  investigator  of  truth,  Count 
Buquoy,  in  his  Anregungen  fur  ph.  w.  Forschungeji  (Leipzig, 
1825,  p.  386  ^^'g.').  After  assuming  that  a  drug,  which  in  a  normal 
state  of  health  causes  the  symptoms  a,  b,  g, — in  analogy  with  other 
physiological  phenomena,  produces  the  symptoms  x,  y,  z,  which 
appear  in  an  abnormal  state  of  health — can  act  upon  this  abnormal 
State  in  such  a  way  that  the  disease  symptoms  x,  y,  z,  are  trans- 
formed into  the  drug  symptoms  a,  b,  g,  which  latter  have  the  pe- 
culiar characteristic  of  temporariness  or  transitoriness;  he  then 
continues:    "  This   transitory   character   belongs  to  the  group  of 


178  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

or  at  least  adds  a  new  malady;  partly  because  the  vital 
force  expels  it  as  a  violently  aggressive  remedy  through 
purging  stools  or  by  means  of  vomiting,  without  hav- 
ing put  its  healing  power  to  any  use. 

Now  if,  as  experience  teaches,  not  even  the  fresh 
itch  disease  which  is  the  most  easy  to  cure  of  all,  i,  e.^ 
the  internal,  recently  formed  Psora  together  with  the 
external,  recent  eruption,  can  be  thoroughly  healed  by 
external  applications  accompanied  by  large  quantities 
of  flowers  of  Sulphur,  it  may  easily  be  seen,  that 
the  Psora,  after  it  has  been  deprived  of  its  eruption 
and  has  become  merel}'  internal  and  inveterate,  hav- 
ing developed  secondary  ailments  and  thus  having 
changed  into  chronic  diseases  of  various  kinds,  for  the 
same  reason  can  be  just  as  little  cured  by  a  quantity 
of  Sulphur  flowers,  or  by  a  number  of  baths  in  sul- 
phurous mineral  waters,  or  on  the  other  hand,  by 
simultaneously  drinking  the  same  or  a  similar  water; 
in  a  word,  it  cannot  be  cured  by  a  superabundance  and 
frequent  repetition  of  this  remed}^  although  it  is  of 
itself  anti-psoric.  *     It  is  true  that  many  such  chronic 


symptoms  of  the  medicine  a,  d,  g,  which  is  substituted  for  the 
group  of  symptoms  belonging  to  the  disease,  merely  because  the 
medicine  is  used  in  an  extraordinarily  small  dose.  Should  the 
homoeopathic  physician  give  the  patient  too  large  a  dose  of  the 
homoeopathic  remedy  indicated,  the  disease  x,  y,  z,  may,  indeed, 
be  transformed  into  the  other,  i.  e.,  into  a,  b,  g,  but  the  new  dis- 
ease now  sits  just  as  firmly  fixed  as  the  former  x,y,  z;  so  that  the 
organism  can  just  as  little  free  itself fro^n  the  disease  a,  b,  g,  as  it 
was  able  to  throw  off  the  original  disease  .r,  y,  z.  If  a  very  large 
dose  is  given,  then  a  new,  often  z'ery  dangerous  disease  is  produced, 
or  the  organism  does  its  utmost  to  free  itself  very  quickly  from  the 
poison  (through  diarrhoea,  vomiting,  etc.)." 

*  Used  in  small  doses.  Sulphur  as  one  of  the  anti-psoric  remedies 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  179 

patients  by  the  first  treatment  at  the  baths  seem  to  get 
rid  for  some  time  of  the  symptoms  of  their  disease 
(therefore  we  see  an  incredible  throng  of  many 
thousands,  suffering  from  innumerable  different  chronic 
ailments  at  Teplitz,  Baden,  Aix-la-Chapelle,  Neun- 
dorf,  Warmbrunn,  etc. ) ;  yet  they  are  not  on  that  ac- 
count restored  to  health,  but  instead  of  the  original 
chronic  (psoric)  disease,  they  have  for  a  time  come 
under  the  dominion  of  a  Sulphur  disease  (another, 
perhaps  more  bearable,  malady).  This  in  time  passes 
away,  when  the  Psora  again  lifts  its  head,  either  with 
the  same  morbid  symptoms  as  before,  or  with  others 
similar  but  gradually  more  troublesome  than  the  first, 
or  with  symptoms  developing  in  nobler  parts  of  the 
organism.  Ignorant  persons  will  rejoice  in  the  latter 
case,  that  their  former  disease  at  least  has  passed 
away,  and  they  hope  that  the  new  disease  also  may  be 
removed  by  another  journe}'  to  the  same  baths.  They 
do  not  know,  that  their  changed  morbid  state  is  merely 
a  transformation  of  the  same  Psora;  but  they  always 
find  out  by  experience,  that  their  second  tour  to  the 
baths  causes  even  less  alleviation,  or,  indeed,  if  the 
Sulphur  baths  are  used  in  still  greater  number,  that 
the  second  trial  causes  aggravation. 

Thus  we  see  that  either  the  excessive  use  of  Sul- 

will  not  fail  to  make  a  brief  beginning  of  a  cure  of  the  chronic 
(non-venereal  and  therefore  psoric)  diseases.  I  know  a  physician 
in  Saxony  who  gained  a  great  reputation  by  merely  adding  to  his 
prescription  in  nearly  all  chronic  diseases  flowers  of  Sulphur,  and 
this  without  knowing  a  reason  for  it.  This  in  the  beginning  of 
such  treatments  is  wont  to  produce  a  strikingly  beneficent  effect, 
but  of  course  only  in  the  beginning,  and  therefore  after  that  his 
help  was  at  an  end. 


180  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

phur  in  all  its  forms,  or  the  frequent  repetition  of  its 
use  by  allopathic  physicians  in  thetreatment  of  a  multi- 
tude of  chronic  diseases  (the  secondary  psoric  ailments) 
have  taken  away  from  it  all  value  and  use;  and  we 
may  well  assert  that,  to  this  day,  hardly-anything  but 
injury  has  been  done  by  allopathic  physicians  through 
the  use  of  Sulphur. 

But  even  supposing  that  anyone  should  desire  to 
make  the  only  correct  use  of  Sulphur  in  this  kind  of 
disease,  it  will  seldom  be  possible  to  do  this  with  the 
same  desired  success  as  where  the  homoeopathic  physi- 
cian finds  a  recent  case  of  the  itch-disease  with  its  still 
existing  eruption.  Even  when,  owing  to  its  undeniable 
antipsoric  effects.  Sulphur  may  be  able  of  itself  to  make 
the  beginning  of  a  cure,  after  the  external  expulsion  of 
the  eruption,  either  with  the  still  hidden  and  latent 
Psora  or  when  this  has  more  or  less  developed  and 
broken  out  into  its  varied  chronic  diseases,  it  can  nev- 
ertheless be  but  rarely  made  use  of  for  this  purpose, 
because  its  powers  have  usually  been  already  ex- 
hausted because  it  has  been  given  to  the  patient  al- 
ready before  by  allopathic  physicians  for  one  purpose 
or  another,  perhaps  has  been  already  given  repeatedly; 
but  Sulphur,  like  most  of  the  antipsoric  remedies  in 
the  treatment  of  a  developed  Psora  that  has  become 
chronic,  can  hardly  be  used  three  or  four  times  (even 
after  the  intervening  use  of  other  antipsoric  remedies) 
without  causing  the  cure  to  retrograde. 

The  cure  of  an  old  Psora  that  has  been  deprived  of  its 
eruption,  whether  it  may  he  latent  and  quiescent  or  al- 
ready broke?i  out  into  chronic  diseases,  can  never  be  ac- 
complished with  Sulphur  alone,  nor  with  sulphur-baths, 
either  natural  or  artificial. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  181 

Here  I  may  mention  the  curious  circumstance  that 
in  general — with  the  exception  of  the  recent  itch-dis- 
ease still  attended  with  its  unrepressed  cutaneous  erup- 
tion, and  which  is  so  easily  cured  from  within* — every 
other  psoric  diathesis,  /.  e.,  the  Psora  that  is  still  latent 
within,  as  well  as  the  Psora  that  has  developed  into 
one  of  the  innumerable  chronic  diseases  springing  from 
it,  is  very  seldom  cured  by  any  single  antipsoric  rem- 
edy, but  requires  the  use  of  several  of  these  remedies 
— in  the  worst  cases  the  use  of  quite  a  number  of  them 
— one  after  the  other,  for  its  perfect  cure. 

This  circumstance  need  not  astonish  us  when  we 
consider  that  the  Psora  is  a  chronic  miasma  of  quite 
peculiar  and  especial  character,  which  in  several  thou- 
sands of  years  has  passed  through  several  millions  of 
human  organisms,  and  must  have  assumed  such  a  vast 
extension  of  varied  symptoms — the  elements  of  those 
innumerable,  chronic,  non-venereal  ailments,  under 
which  mankind  now  groans — and  could  transmute  it- 
self into  such  an  indefinite  multitude  of  forms  differing 
from  one  another  as  it  gradually  ultimated  itself  in  the 
various  bodily  constitutions  of  individual  men  who  dif- 
fered from  one  another  in  their  domiciles,  their  climatic 
peculiarities,    their    education,    habits,    occupations,! 

*  Recent  itch-disease  with  its  still  present  cutaneous  eruption  has 
been  cured  at  times  without  any  external  remedy  by  even  one  very 
small  dose  of  a  properly  potentized  preparation  of  Sulphur,  and 
thus  within  two,  three  or  four  weeks;  once  a  dose  of  one-half  grain 
of  Carbo  vegetabilis,  potentized  a  million  fold,  sufficed  for  a  family 
of  seven  persons,  and  three  times  a  like  dose  of  as  highly  poten- 
tized Sepia  was  sufficient. 

f/.  e.,  occupations  which  called  more  fully  into  play  one  or  an- 
other organ  of  the  body,  one  or  another  function  of  the  spirit  and 
mind. 


182  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

modes  of  life  and  of  diet,  and  was  moulded  by  varying 
bodily  and  psychic  relations.  It  is,  therefore,  not 
strange  that  one  single  and  only  medicine  is  insufficient 
to  heal  the  entire  Psora  and  all  its  forms,  and  that  it 
requires  several  medicines  in  order  to  respond,  by  the 
artificial  morbid  effects  peculiar  to  each,  to  the  unnum- 
bered host  of  Psora  symptoms,  and  thus  to  those  of  all 
chronic  (non-venereal)  diseases  and  to  the  entire  Psora, 
and  to  do  this  in  a  curative  homoeopathic  manner.* 

It  is  only,  therefore,  as  already  mentioned,  when  the 
eruption  of  itch  is  still  in  its  prime  and  the  infection  is 
in  consequence  still  recent,  that  the  complete  cure  can 
be  effected  by  Sulphur  alone,  and  then  at  times  with 
but  a  single  dose.  I  leave  it  undecided  whether  this 
can  be  done  in  every  case  of  itch  still  in  full  eruption 
on  the  skin,  because  the  ages  of  the  eruption  of  itch- 
infecting  patients  is  quite  various.  For  if  the  eruption 
has  been  on  the  skin  for  some  time  (although  it  may 
not  have  been  treated  with  external  repressive  rem- 
edies), it  will  of  itself  begin  to  recede  gradually  from 
the  skin.  Then  the  internal  Psora  has  already  in  part 
gained  the  upper  hand;  the  cutaneous  eruption  is  then 
no  more  so  completely  vicarious,  and  ailments  of  an- 
other kind  appear,  partly  as  the  signs  of  a  latent  Psora, 
partly  as  chronic  diseases  developed  from  the  internal 
Psora.     In  such  a  case  Sulphur  alone  (as  little  as  any 

*I  refrain  from  hinting  through  what  exertions  and  through  how 
many  careful  observations,  investigations,  reflections  and  varied 
experiments  I  have  finally  succeeded  after  eleven  years  in  filling 
up  the  great  chasm  in  the  edifice  of  the  homoeopathic  healing  art, 
the  cure  of  the  innumerable  chronic  diseases,  and  thus  in  complet- 
ing as  far  as  possible  the  blessings  which  this  art  has  in  store  for 
suffering  humanity. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  183 

other  single  antipsoric  remed^O  is  usually  no  longer 
sufficient  to  produce  a  complete  cure,  and  the  other 
antipsoric  remedies,  one  or  another,  according  to  the 
remaining  symptoms,  must  be  called  upon  to  give  their 
homoeopathic  aid. 

The  homoeopathic  medical  treatment  of  the  count- 
less chronic  diseases  (non-venereal  and,  therefore,  of 
psoric  origin)  agrees  essentially  in  its  general  features 
with  the  homoeopathic  treatment  of  human  diseases  as 
taught  in  the  Organon  of  the  Art  of  Healing.  I  shall 
now  indicate  what  is  especially  to  be  considered  in  the 
treatment  of  chronic  diseases. 

As  to  the  diet  and  mode  of  living  of  patients  of  this 
kind  I  shall  only  make  some  general  remarks,  leaving 
the  special  application  in  any  particular  case  to  the 
judgment  of  the  homoeopathic  practitioner.  Of  course 
everything  that  would  hinder  the  cure  must  also  in 
these  cases  be  removed.  But  since  we  have  here  to 
treat  lingering,  sometimes  very  tedious,  diseases,  which 
cannot  be  quickly  removed,  and  since  we  often  have 
cases  of  patients  in  middle  life  and  also  in  old  age,  in 
various  relations  of  life,  which  can  seldom  be  totally 
changed,  either  in  the  case  of  rich  people  or  in  the  case 
of  persons  of  small  means,  or  even  with  the  poor, 
therefore  limitations  and  modifications  of  the  strict 
mode  of  life  as  regularly  prescribed  by  Homoeopathy 
must  be  allowed  in  order  to  make  possible  the  cure  of 
such  tedious  diseases  with  individuals  so  very  different. 
A  strict,  homoeopathic  diet  and  mode  of  living  does  not 
cure  chronic  patients,  as  our  opponents  pretend  in 
order  to  diminish  the  merits  of  Homoeopathy,  but  the 
main  cause  is  the  medical  treatment.     This  may  be 


184  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

seen  in  the  case  of  the  many  patients  who,  trusting' 
these  false  allegations,  have  for  years  observed  the 
most  strict  homoeopathic  diet  without  being  able  there- 
by to  diminish  appreciably  their  chronic  disease;  this 
rather  increasing  in  spite  of  the  diet,  as  all  diseases  of 
a  chronic  miasmatic  nature  do  from  their  nature. 

Owing  to  these  causes,  therefore,  and  in  order  to 
make  the  cure  possible,  the  homoeopathic  practitioner 
must  yield  to  circumstances  in  his  prescriptions  as  to 
diet  and  mode  of  living,  and  in  so  doing  he  will  much 
more  surely,  and  therefore  more  completely,  reach  the 
aim  of  healing  than  by  an  obstinate  insistence  on  strict 
rules,  which  in  many"  cases  cannot  be  obeyed. 

The  daily  laborer,  if  his  strength  allows,  should  con- 
tinue his  labor;  the  artisan,  his  handiwork;  the  farmer, 
so  far  as  he  is  able,  his  field  work;  the  mother  of  the 
family,  her  domestic  occupations  according  to  her 
strength;  only  labors  that  would  interfere  with  the 
health  of  healthy  persons  should  be  interdicted.  This 
must  be  left  to  the  intelligence  of  the  rational  physi- 
cian. 

The  class  of  men  who  are  usually  occupied,  not  with 
bodily  labor,  but  with  fine  work  in  their  rooms,  usually 
with  sedentary  work,  should  be  directed  during  their 
cure  to  walk  more  in  the  open  air,  without,  on  that 
account,  setting  their  work  altogether  aside. 

Persons  belonging  to  the  higher  classes  should  also 
be  urged  to  take  walks  more  than  is  their  custom. 
The  physician  may  allow  this  class  the  innocent  amuse- 
ment of  moderate  and  becoming  dancing,  amusements 
in  the  country  that  are  reconcilable  with  a  strict  diet, 
also  social  meetings  with  acquaintances,  where  conver- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  185 

sation  is  the  chief  amusement;  he  will  not  keep  them 
from  enjoying  harmless  music  or  from  listening  to  lec- 
tures which  are  not  too  fatiguing;  he  can  permit  the 
theatre  only  exceptionally,  but  he  can  never  allow  the 
playing  of  cards.  The  physician  will  moderate  too  fre- 
quent riding  and  driving,  and  should  know  how  to  ban- 
ish intercourse  which  should  prove  to  be  morally  and 
psychically  injurious,  as  this  is  also  physically  injurious. 
The  flirtations  and  empty  excitations  of  sensuality  be- 
tween the  sexes,  the  reading  of  indelicate  novels  and 
poems  of  a  like  character,  as  well  as  superstitious  and 
enthusiastic  books,  are  to  be  altogether  interdicted.* 

Scholars  ought  also  to  be  induced  to  (moderately) 
exercise  in  the  open  air,  and  in  bad  weather  to  do  some 
light  mechanical  work  in  doors;  but  during  the  medi- 
cal treatment  mental  occupation  should  be  limited  to 
work  from  memory,  since  straining  the  head  by  read- 
ing is  hardly  ever  to  be  allowed,  or  at  least  only  with 
great  limitation  and  a  strict  definition  as  to  the  quan- 
tity and  quality  of  what  is  read,  i.  e.,  in  treating  any 

*  Physicians  frequently  wish  to  assume  importance  by  forbidding 
without  exception  all  sexual  intercourse  to  chronic  patients  who 
are  married.  But  if  both  parties  are  able  and  disposed  to  it,  such 
an  interdict  is,  to  say  the  least,  ridiculous,  as  it  neither  can  nor  will 
be  obeyed  (without  causing  a  greater  misfortune  in  the  family). 
No  legislature  should  give  laws  that  cannot  be  kept  nor  controlled, 
or  which  would  cause  even  greater  mischief  if  kept.  If  one  party 
is  incapable  of  sexual  intercourse,  this  of  itself  will  stop  such  inter- 
course. But  of  all  functions  in  marriage  such  intercourse  is  what 
may  least  be  commanded  or  forbidden.  Homoeopathy  only  inter- 
feres in  this  matter  through  medicines,  so  as  to  make  the  party 
that  is  incapable  of  sexual  intercourse  capable  of  it,  through  anti- 
psoric  (or  anti-syphilitic)  remedies,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  to  re- 
duce an  excitable  consort's  morbidity  to  its  natural  tone. 

13 


186  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

of  the  more  severe  chronic  diseases.  In  mental  dis- 
orders it  can  never  be  allowed. 

All  classes  of  chronic  patients  must  be  forbidden  the 
use  of  any  domestic  remedies  or  the  use  of  any  medi- 
cines on  their  own  account.  With  the  higher  classes, 
perfumeries,  scented  waters,  tooth-powders  and  other 
medicines  for  the  teeth  must  also  be  forbidden.  If  the 
patient  has  been  accustomed  for  a  long  time  to  woolen 
under-clothing,  the  homoeopathic  physician  cannot 
suddenly  make  a  change,  but  as  the  disease  diminishes 
the  woolen  under-garments  may  in  warm  weather  be 
first  changed  to  cotton,  and  then,  in  warm  weather, 
the  patient  can  pass  to  linen.  Fontanels  can  be 
stopped,  in  chronic  diseases  of  any  moment,  only  when 
the  internal  cure  has  already  made  progress,  especially 
with  patients  of  advanced  age. 

The  physician  cannot  yield  to  the  request  of  patients 
for  the  continuance  of  their  customary  home-baths,  but 
a  quick  ablution,  as  much  as  cleanliness  may  demand 
from  time  to  time,  may  be  allowed;  nor  can  he  permit 
any  venesection  or  cupping,  however  much  the  patient 
may  declare  that  he  has  become  accustomed  thereto. 

As  to  diet,  all  classes  of  men  who  wish  to  be  cured 
of  a  lingering  disease,  can  suffer  some  limitation,  if 
the  chronic  disease  does  not  consist  of  an  ailment  of 
the  abdomen;  with  the  lower  classes  there  need  be 
no  very  strict  limitations,  especially  if  the  patient  is 
able  to  remain  at  work  in  his  trade,  thus  giving  motion 
to  the  body.  The  poor  man  can  recover  health  even 
with  a  diet  of  salt  and  bread,  and  neither  the  moderate 
use  of  potatoes,  flour-porridge  nor  fresh  cheese  will 
hinder  his  recovery;  only  let  him  limit  the  condiments 
of  onions  and  pepper  with  his  meagre  diet. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  187 

He  who  cares  for  his  recovery  can  find  dishes,  even 
at  the  king's  table,  which  answer  all  the  requirements 
of  a  natural  diet. 

Most  difficult  for  a  homoeopathic  physician  is  the 
decision  as  to  drinks.  Coffee  has  in  great  part  the  in- 
jurious effects  on  the  health  of  body  and  soul  which  I 
have  described  in  my  little  book  ( IVirkungen  des 
Kaffees  [Effects  of  Coffee],  Leipzig,  1803);  but  it  has 
become  so  much  of  a  habit  and  a  necessity  to  the 
greater  part  of  the  so-called  enlightened  nations  that 
it  will  be  as  difficult  to  extirpate  as  prejudice  and 
superstition,  unless  the  homoeopathic  physician  in  the 
cure  of  chronic  diseases  insist  on  a  general,  absolute 
interdict.  Only'  young  people  up  to  the  twentieth 
year,  or  at  most  up  to  the  thirtieth,  can  be  suddenly 
deprived  of  it  without  any  particular  disadvantage; 
but  with  persons  over  thirty  and  forty  years,  if  they 
have  used  coffee  from  their  childhood,  it  is  better  to 
propose  to  discontinue  it  gradually  and  every  day  to 
drink  somewhat  less;  when  lo  and  behold  !  most  of 
them  leave  it  off  at  once,  and  they  will  do  so  without 
any  peculiar  trouble  (except,  perhaps,  for  a  few  days  at 
the  commencement).  As  late  as  six  years  ago  I  still 
supposed  that  older  persons  who  are  unwilling  to  do 
without  it,  might  be  allowed  to  use  it  in  a  small  quan- 
tity. But  I  have  since  then  become  convinced  that 
even  a  long-continued  habit  cannot  make  it  harmless, 
and  as  the  physician  can  only  permit  what  is  best  for 
his  patient,  it  must  remain  as  an  established  rule  that 
chronic  patients  must  altogether  give  up  this  part  of 
their  diet,  which  is  insidiously  injurious;  and  this  the 
patients,  high  or  low,  who  have  the  proper  confidence 


188  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

in  their  physician,  when  it  is  properly  represented  ta 
them,  almost  without  exception,  do  willingly  and 
gladly,  to  the  great  improvement  of  their  health.  Rye 
or  wheat,  roasted  like  coffee  in  a  drum  and  then  boiled 
and  prepared  like  coffee,  has  both  in  smell  and  taste 
much  resemblance  to  coffee;  and  rich  and  poor  are 
using  this  substitute  willingly  in  several  countries. 

The  like  may  be  said  concerning  the  expensive  and 
so-called  fine  sorts,  as  well  as  concerning  the  cheap 
sorts  of  Chinese  tea  which  so  flatteringly  allures  the 
nerves  and  so  secretly  and  inevitably  infests  and 
weakens  them.  Even  when  made  very  weak  and 
when  only  a  little  is  drank  only  once  a  day  it  is  never 
harmless,  neither  with  younger  persoris  nor  with  older 
ones  who  have  used  it  since  their  childhood;  and  they 
must  instead  of  it  use  some  harmless  warm  drink. 
Patients,  according  to  my  extensive  experience,  are 
also  willing  to  follow  the  advice  of  their  faithful  ad- 
viser, the  physician  in  whom  they  have  confidence, 
when  this  advice  is  fortified  with  reason. 

With  respect  to  the  limitation  in  wine  the  prac- 
titioner can  be  far  more  lenient,  since  with  chronic  pa- 
tients it  will  be  hardly  ever  necessary  to  altogether 
forbid  it.  Patients  who  from  their  youth  up  have 
been  accustomed  to  a  plentiful  use  of  pure*  wine  can- 
not give  it  up  at  once  entirely,  and  this  the  less  the 
older  they   are.     To  do  so  would  produce  a  sudden 

*Even  for  men  in  quite  good  health  it  is  improper  and  in  many 
ways  injurious  to  drink  pure  wine  as  a  customary  beverage,  and 
morality  only  permits  its  use  in  small  quantities  at  festive  occa- 
sions. A  youth  cannot  keep  his  sexual  desires  under  control  up  to 
his  marriage  unless  he  altogether  avoids  banquets.  Gonorrhoea 
and  chancre  are  due  to  such  excesses. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  189 

sinking  of  their  strength  and  an  obstruction  to  their 
cure,  and  might  even  endanger  their  Hfe.  But  they 
will  be  satisfied  to  drink  it  during  the  first  weeks 
mixed  with  equal  parts  of  water,  and  later,  gradually 
wine  mixed  with  two,  three  and  four  and  finally  with 
iive  and  six  parts  of  water  and  a  little  sugar.  The 
latter  mixtures  may  be  allowed  all  chronic  patients  as 
their  usual  beverage. 

More  absolutely  necessary  in  the  cure  of  the  chronic 
diseases  is  the  giving  up  of  whisky  or  brandy.  This 
will  require,  however,  as  much  consideration  in  dimin- 
ishing the  quantity  used,  as  firmness  in  executing  it. 
Where  the  strength  appreciably  diminishes  at  giving 
it  up  totally,  a  small  portion  of  good,  pure  wine  must 
be  used  instead  of  it  for  a  little  while,  but  later,  wine 
mixed  with  several  parts  of  water,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances. 

Since,  according  to  an  inviolable  law  of  nature,  our 
vital  force  always  produces  in  the  human  organism  the 
opposite  of  the  impressions  caused  by  ph3^sical  and 
medicinal  potencies  in  all  the  cases  in  which  there  are 
such  opposites,  it  may  easily  be  understood,  as  ac- 
curate observation  also  testifies,  that  spirituous  liquors, 
after  having  simulated  refreshment  and  heightened  vital 
warmth  immediately  after  partaking  them,  must  have 
just  the  opposite  after-effects,  owing  to  this  opposite 
reaction  of  the  vital  force  of  the  organism.  Weakness 
and  a  diminution  of  the  vital  warmth  are  the  inevitable 
consequences  of  their  use — states  which  ought  to  be 
removed  as  far  as  possible  from  the  chronic  patient 
by  every  true  physician.  Only  an  allopath  who  has 
never  accustomed  himself  to  observation  and  to  reliec- 


190  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

tion,  and  who  is  unwilling  to  acknowledge  the  injuri- 
ous effects  of  his  palliatives,  can  advise  his  chronic 
patients  to  dail}'  drink  strong,  pure  wine  to  strengthen 
themselves;  a  genuine  Homoeopath  will  never  do  this 
{sed  ex  7ingue  leonent  /). 

The  permission  of  beer  is  quite  questionable!  Since 
the  artifices  of  brewers  in  modern  times  seem  to  in- 
tend, by  their  addition  of  vegetable  substances  to  the 
extract  of  malt,  not  only  to  prevent  it  from  souring, 
but  also  and  especially  to  tickle  the  palate  and  to 
cause  intoxication,  without  any  regard  to  the  injurious 
qualities  of  these  malignant  additions  which  often 
deeply  undermine  the  health  when  daily  used,  and 
which  cannot  be  discovered  by  any  inspection,  the 
honest  physician  cannot  allow  his  patient  to  drink 
whatsoever  is  called  beer ;  for  even  the  white  beer 
(thin  beer)  and  the  porter,  which  on  account  of  their 
lack  of  bitterness  seem  so  harmless,  not  infrequently 
have  narcotic  ingredients  added  to  give  them  the 
much-liked  intoxicating  quality  in  spite  of  their  dimin- 
ished quantity  of  malt. 

Among  the  articles  of  diet  which  are  generally  in- 
jurious to  chronic  patients  are  also  all  dishes  contain- 
ing vinegar  or  citric  acid.  These  are  especially  apt  to 
cause  disagreeable  sensations  and  troubles  in  those 
afflicted  with  nervous  and  abdominal  ailments.  They 
also  either  antagonize  or  excessively  increase  the 
effects  of  several  medicines.  For  such  patients  also 
very  acid  fruit  (as  sour  cherries,  unripe  gooseberries 
and  currants)  are  to  be  allowed  only  in  very  small 
quantities,  and  sweet  fruits  only  in  moderate  quantity; 
so  also  baked  prunes  as  a  palliative  are  not  to  be  ad- 


HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC   DISEASES.  191 

vised  to  those  inclined  to  constipation.  To  the  latter, 
as  also  to  those  suffering  from  weak  digestion,  veal 
which  is  too  young  is  not  serviceable.  Those  whose 
sexual  powers  are  low  should  limit  themselves  in  eat- 
ing young  chickens  and  eggs,  and  should  avoid  the  ir- 
ritating spice  of  vanilla,  also  truffles  and  caviare, 
which  as  palliatives  hinder  a  cure.  Ladies  with  scanty 
menses  must  avoid  the  use  of  saffron  and  cinnamon 
for  the  same  reason;  persons  with  weak  stomachs 
should  avoid  cinnamon,  cloves,  amomum,  pepper, 
ginger  and  bitter  substances,  which,  being  palliatives, 
are  also  injurious  while  under  homoeopathic  treat- 
ment. Vegetables  causing  flatulency  should  be  for- 
bidden in  all  abdominal  troubles  and  where  there  is  an 
inclination  to  constipation  and  costiveness.  Beef  and 
good  wheat-bread  or  rye-bread,  together  with  cow's 
milk  and  a  moderate  use  of  fresh  butter,  seem  to  be 
the  most  natural  and  harmless  food  for  men,  and  also 
for  chronic  patients;  only  Httle  salt  should  be  used. 
Next  to  beef  in  wholesomeness  are  mutton,  venison, 
grown  chickens  and  young  pigeons.  The  flesh  and 
fat  of  geese  and  ducks  are  even  less  to  be  permitted 
to  chronic  patients  than  pork.  Pickled  and  smoked 
meats  should  be  rarely  used  and  only  in  small 
quantities. 

Sprinkling  chopped  raw  herbs  on  soups,  putting 
pot-herbs  into  vegetables,  and  eating  old,  rancid 
cheese  must  be  avoided. 

In  using  the  better  quality  of  fish  their  preparation 
should  be  especially  looked  to;  they  had  best  be  pre- 
pared by  boiling  and  used  sparingly  with  sauces  not 
much  spiced;  but  no  fish  dried  in  the  air  or  smoked; 


192  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

salt  fish  (herrings  and  sardines)  only  rarely  and  spar- 
ingly. 

Moderation  in  all  things,  even  in  harmless  ones,  is 
the  chief  duty  of  chronic  patients. 

In  considering  diet,  the  use  of  tobacco  should  also 
be  carefully  considered.  Smoking  in  some  cases  of 
chronic  disease  may  be  permitted,  when  the  patient 
has  been  accustomed  to  an  uninterrupted  use  of  it, 
and  if  he  does  not  expectorate;  but  smoking  should 
always  be  limited,  and  more  so  if  the  mental  activity, 
sleep,  digestion  or  the  evacuations  are  defective.  If 
evacuations  regularly  only  take  place  after  smoking 
the  use  of  this  palliative  must  be  all  the  more  circum- 
scribed, and  the  same  result  must  be  obtained  in  a 
lasting  manner  through  the  appropriate  antipsoric 
remedies.  More  objectionable  yet,  however,  is  the 
using  of  snuff,  which  is  wont  to  be  abused  as  a  palli- 
ative against  rheum  and  obstruction  of  the  nose  and 
insidious  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  and  which  being  a 
palliative,  is  a  great  hinderance  in  the  cure  of  chronic 
diseases;  it  can,  therefore,  not  be  allowed  with  such 
patients,  but  must  be  diminished  every  day  and  at  last 
stopped.  An  especial  reason  for  this  is  also  that  in 
snuff  the  medicinal  liquors  (sauces)  with  which  almost 
all  snuff  is  medicated  touches  with  its  substance  the 
nerves  of  the  inner  nose  and  injures  just  as  if  a  foreign 
rnedicine  were  taken,  which  is  less  the  case  with  the 
burning,  smoking  tobacco  in  which  the  strength  is  dis- 
integrated by  the  heat. 

I  now  pass  to  the  other  hinderances  to  the  cure  of 
chronic  diseases  which  must  be  avoided  as  far  as 
possible. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  193 

All  those  events  in  human  life  which  can  bring  the 
Psora  latent  and  slumbering  within,  which  has  hitherto 
manifested  itself  only  by  some  of  the  signs  mentioned 
above,  wherein  the  patient  varies  from  a  state  of 
health,  so  as  to  break  out  into  open  chronic  diseases, 
these  same  events  if  they  occur  to  a  person  already  a 
chronic  patient  may  not  only  augment  his  disease  and 
increase  the  difficult}'  of  curing  it,  but  if  they  break  in 
on  him  violently,  may  make  his  disease  incurable,  if 
the  untoward  circumstances  are  not  suddenly  changed 
for  the  better. 

Such  events  are,  however,  of  very  various  nature, 
and  therefore  of  different  degrees  of  injurious  in- 
fluence. 

Excessive  hardships,  laboring  in  swamps,  great 
bodily  injuries  and  wounds,  excess  of  cold  or  heat,  and 
even  the  unsatisfied  hunger  of  poverty  and  its  unwhole- 
some foods,  etc.,  are  not  by  any  means  very  powerful 
in  causing  the  fearful  malady  of  Psora  which  lies  in 
ambush,  lurking  in  secret  to  break  forth  into  serious 
chronic  diseases,  nor  of  great  consequence  in  aggravat- 
ing a  chronic  disease  already  present;  yea,  an  innocent 
man  can,  with  less  injury  to  his  life,  pass  ten  years  in 
bodily  torments  in  the  bastile  or  on  the  galleys  rather 
than  pass  some  months  in  all  bodily  comfort  in  an  un- 
happy marriage  or  with  a  remorseful  conscience.  A 
Psora  slumbering  within,  which  still  allows  the  favorite 
of  a  prince  to  live  with  the  appearance  of  almost 
blooming  health,  unfolds  quickly  into  a  chronic  ail- 
ment of  the  body,  or  distracts  his  mental  organs  into 
insanity,  when  by  a  change  of  fortune  he  is  hurled 
from  his  brilliant  pinnacle  and  is  exposed  to  contempt 


194  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

and  poverty.  The  sudden  death  of  a  son  causes  the 
tender  mother,  already  in  ill  health,  an  incurable  sup- 
puration of  the  lungs  or  a  cancer  of  the  breast.  A 
young,  affectionate  maiden,  already  hysterical,  is 
thrown  into  melancholy  by  a  disappointment  in  love. 

How  difficult  it  is,  and  how  seldom  will  the  best 
anti-psoric  treatment  do  anything  to  relieve  such  un- 
fortunates! 

By  far  the  most  frequent  excitement  of  the  slumber- 
ing Psora  into  chronic  disease,  and  the  most  frequent 
aggravation  of  chronic  ailments  already  existing,  are 
caused  by  grief  and  vexation. 

Unintemipted  grief  and  vexation  verj^soon  increase 
even  the  smallest  traces  of  a  slumbering  Psora  into 
more  severe  symptoms,  and  they  then  develop  these 
into  an  outbreak  of  all  imaginable  chronic  sufferings 
more  certainly  and  more  frequently  than  all  other  in- 
jurious influences  operating  on  the  human  organism  in 
an  average  human  life;  while  these  two  agencies  just 
as  surely  and  frequently  augment  ailments  already  ex- 
isting. 

As  the  good  physician  will  be  pleased  when  he  can 
enliven  and  keep  from  ennui  the  mind  of  a  patient,  in 
order  to  advance  a  cure  which  is  not  encumbered  with 
such  obstructions,  he  will  in  such  a  case  feel  more 
than  ever  the  duty  incumbent  upon  him  to  do  all  with- 
in the  power  of  his  influence  on  the  patient  and  on  his 
relatives  and  surroundings,  in  order  to  relieve  him  of 
grief  and  vexation.  This  will  and  must  be  a  chief  end 
of  his  care  and  neighborly  love. 

But  if  the  relations  of  the  patient  cannot  be  im- 
proved in  this  respect,  and   if   he   has   not   sufficient 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  195 

philosophy,  religion  and  power  over  himself  to  bear 
patiently  and  with  equanimity  all  the  sufferings  and 
afflictions  for  which  he  is  not  to  blame,  and  which  it 
is  not  in  his  power  to  change;  if  grief  and  vexation 
continually  beat  in  upon  him,  and  it  is  out  of  the 
power  of  the  physician  to  effect  a  lasting  removal  of 
these  most  active  destroyers  of  life,  he  had  better  give 
up  the  treatment*  and  leave  the  patient  to  his  fate, 
for  even  the  most  masterly  management  of  the  case 
with  the  remedies  that  are  the  most  exquisite  and  the 
best  adapted  to  the  bodily  ailment  will  avail  nothing, 
nothing  at  all,  with  a  chronic  patient  thus  exposed  to 
continual  sorrow  and  vexation,  and  in  whom  the  vital 
economy  is  being  destroyed  by  continuous  assaults  on 
the  mind.  The  continuation  of  the  fairest  edifice  is 
foolish,  when  the  foundation  is  being  daily  under- 
mined, even  if  but  gradually,  by  the  play  of  the  waves. 
Almost  as  near,  and  often  nearer  yet,  to  incurability 
are  the  chronic  diseases,  especially  with  great  and  rich 
men,  who  for  some  years,  besides  the  use  of  mineral 
baths,  t  have  passed  through  the  hands  of  various,  often 

*  Unless  the  patient  should  have  little  or  no  cause  for  his  grief 
and  sorrow,  or  hardly  any  incitement  from  without  to  vexation, 
and  in  consequence  would  need  more  particularly  to  be  treated 
with  respect  to  his  mental  disorder,  by  means  of  the  anti-psoric 
remedies,  which  are  at  the  same  time  suited  to  the  rest  of  his 
chronic  disease.  Such  cases  are  not  only  curable,  but  often  even 
easily  curable. 

t  Every  time  the  baths  are  used,  even  when  the  water  is  not  in 
itself  unsuitable  to  the  ailment,  they  are  to  be  considered  as  the 
use  of  large  doses  often  repeated  of  one  and  the  same  violently 
acting  medicine,  the  violent  operation  of  which  can  seldom  be 
salutary,  and  must  often  result  in  the  aggravation  of  the  morbid 
state,  yea,  even  to  the  patient's  utter  destruction. 


196  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

of  many,  allopathic  physicians,  who  have  tried  on 
them  one  after  another  all  the  fashionable  modes  of 
cure,  the  remedies  which  are  so  boastingly  lauded  in 
England,  France  and  Italy, — all  strongly  acting  mix- 
tures. By  so  many  unsuitable  medicines,  which  are 
injurious  by  their  violence  and  their  frequent  repeti- 
tion in  large  doses,  the  Psora  which  always  lies  within, 
even  if  not  combined  with  syphilis,  becomes  every 
year  more  incurable,  as  do  also  the  chronic  ailments 
springing  from  it;  and  after  the  continuation  of  such 
irrational  medical  assaults  on  the  organism  for  several 
years  it  becomes  almost  quite  incurable.  It  cannot 
well  be  decided,  since  these  things  take  place  in  the 
dark,  whether  these  heroic  unhomoeopathic  doses  have 
added,  as  may  be  suspected,  new  ailments  to  the 
original  disease,  which  ailments  through  the  largeness 
of  the  doses  and  their  frequent  repetition  have  now 
become  lasting  and  as  it  were  chronic,  or  whether 
through  abuse  there  has  resulted  a  crippling  of  the 
different  faculties  of  the  organism,  /".  e.,  those  of  irri- 
tability, of  sensation  and  of  reproduction,  and  so 
(probably  from  both  causes)  there  has  arisen  the 
monster  of  various  ailments,  fused  into  one  another, 
which  can  no  longer  be  rationally  viewed  as  a  simple 
natural  ailment.  In  short,  this  many  sided  disharmony 
and  perversion  of  parts  and  of  forces  most  indispen- 
sable to  life  present  a  chaos  of  ailments  which  the 
homoeopathic  physician  should  not  lightly  declare  cur- 
able. 

By  such  treatments,  which  are  incapable  of  curing 
the  original  disease,  but  are  exhausting  and  debilitat- 
ing, the  aggravation  of  the  Psora  is  not  only  hastened 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  197 

from  within,  but  new  artificial  and  threatening  ail- 
ments are  generated  by  such  delusive  allopathic  cures, 
so  that  the  vital  force,  thus  attacked  from  two  sides, 
often  is  unable  to  escape. 

If  in  such  cases  the  sad  consequences  of  these  indi- 
rect assaults  of  the  old  methods  of  cure  were  dynamic 
disturbances  only,  they  would  surely  either  disappear 
of  themselves  when  the  treatment  is  discontinued,  or 
they  ought  at  least  to  be  extinguished  again  effectively 
through  homoeopathic  medicines.  But  this  is  not  at 
all  the  case  ;  they  do  not  yield.  Very  likely  by  these 
indirect,  continuous  and  repeated  assaults  on  the  sen- 
sitive, irritable  fiber  by  such  injudicious  medicinal  dis- 
ease-potencies, which  are  given  in  large  doses  fre- 
quently repeated,  the  vital  force  is  obliged  to  meet 
this  attack  and  to  endeavor  either  to  dynamically 
change  these  tender  internal  organs  which  are  as- 
saulted so  mercilessly,  or  to  reconstruct  them  mate- 
rially so  as  to  make  them  unassailable  to  such  violent 
attacks,  and  thus  to  protect  and  shield  the  organism 
from  general  destruction.  Thus,  e.  g.,  this  force, 
which  instinctively  preserves  life,  beneficially  shields 
the  fine  sensitive  skin  of  the  hand  with  a  callous  cov- 
ering of  hard,  horny  skin  in  persons  with  whom  the 
skin  is  exposed  to  frequent  injuries  during  hard  labor 
whereby  the  skin  is  injured  by  hard,  scratching  ma- 
terials or  by  corroding  substances.  So  also  in  a  long 
continued  allopathic  treatment,  which  has  no  true 
healing  power  with  respect  to  the  disease,  no  direct 
pathic  (homoeopathic)  relation  to  the  parts  and  pro- 
cesses concerned  in  the  chronic  disease,  but  internally 
assaults  other  delicate  parts  and  organs  of  the  body,  in 


198  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

such  cases  the  vital  force,  in  order  to  protect  the 
whole  from  destruction,  dynamically  and  organically 
transmutes  these  fine  organs  ;  /'.  e.y  either  makes  them 
inactive  or  paralyzes  them,  or  dulls  their  sensitiveness, 
or  makes  them  altogether  callous.  On  the  one  side 
the  most  tender  fiber  is  abnormall}'  thickened  or  hard- 
ened, and  the  more  vigorous  fibers  consumed  or  anni- 
hilated—  thus  there  arise  artificially,  adventitious 
organisms,  malformations  and  degenerations,  which  at 
post-mortem  examinations  are  cunningly  ascribed  to 
the  malignancy  of  the  original  disease.  Such  an  inter- 
nal state  is  not  infrequent,  and  is  in  many  cases  incur- 
able. Only  where  there  are  still  sufficient  vital  pow- 
ers in  a  body  not  too  much  bowed  down  by  age  (but 
where  under  an  allopathic  regime  do  we  not  find  the 
powers  wasted .'')  under  favorable  external  circum- 
stances, the  vital  force  dynamically  freed  from  its 
original  disease  by  the  careful  homoeopathic  (anti- 
psoric)  treatment  of  a  practiced  physician,  may  suc- 
ceed in  gradually  reasserting  itself,  and  in  gradually 
absorbing  and  transforming  those  (often  numerous) 
adventitious  secondary  formations  which  it  was  com- 
pelled to  form.  Such  a  transformation  is,  however, 
only  possible  to  a  still  energetic  vital  force,  which  has 
been  in  great  part  set  free  from  its  Psora.  Only, 
however,  under  favorable  external  circumstances,  and 
after  the  lapse  of  a  considerable  time  and  usually  in 
only  an  imperfect  manner,  does  the  vital  force  succeed 
in  this  almost  creative  endeavor.  Experience  proves 
daily  that  the  more  zealously  the  allopath  puts  into 
practice  in  chronic  diseases  his  perverse  destructive 
art  (often  with  great  care,  industry  and  persistence), 
the  more  he  ruins  his  patients  in  health  and  life. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  199 

How  can  perversions,  introduced  into  patients  in 
this  manner  frequently  for  years,  be  transformed  in  a 
short  time  into  health  even  by  the  best,  i.  e.,  the  true 
method  of  cure,  which  has  never  assumed  to  itself  the 
power  of  directly  influencing  organic  defects  ? 

The  physician  has  to  meet  in  such  cases  no  natural, 
simple  Psoric  disease.  He  can  therefore  promise  an 
improvement  only  after  a  long  period  of  time,  but 
never  a  full  restoration,  even  if  the  vital  powers  are 
not  (as  is  so  frequently  the  case)  altogether  wasted  ; 
for  where  this  is  the  case,  he  would  feel  compelled  to 
desist  from  treatment  even  at  the  first  glance.  First 
the  many  chronic  medicinal  diseases  which  pass  over 
the  fluctuating  state  of  health  must  gradually  be  re- 
moved (perhaps  during  a  several  months'  stay  in  the 
country  almost  without  medicine);  or  they  must  de- 
part as  of  themselves  through  the  activity  of  the  vital 
force,  when  the  anti-psoric  treatment  has  to  some  de- 
gree begun,  with  an  improved  manner  of  living  and  a 
regulated  diet.  For  who  could  find  remedies  for  all 
these  ailments  artificially  produced  by  a  confused  mass 
of  strong  unsuitable  medicines .-'  The  vital  force  must 
first  absorb  and  reform  what  it  has  compulsorily 
deformed,  before  the  true  healer  will  in  time  see  again 
before  him  a  partially  cleared  malady  similar  to  the 
original  one,  and  which  he  will  then  be  able  to  combat.* 


*  On  the  other  hand,  the  most  dreadful  diseases  of  every  kind 
which  have  not  been  spoiled  by  any  medical  fatuity,  in  the  fami- 
lies of  farm  laborers  and  other  day  laborers,  on  vyhom  of  course  no 
ordinary  physician  presses  his  services,  are  quite  commonly,  almost 
as  if  by  a  miracle,  cured  by  the  anti-psoric  remedies  in  a  short 
time,  and  are  transformed  into  lasting  good  health. 


200  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Woe  to  the  young  homoeopathic  phj-sician  who  has 
to  found  his  fame  upon  the  cure  of  those  diseases,  of 
rich  and  prominent  persons,  which  by  a  mass  of  allo- 
pathic evil  arts  have  degenerated  into  such  monstrosi- 
ties !     With  all  his  care  he  will  end  in  failure ! 

A  similar  great  hindrance  to  a  cure  of  far-advanced 
chronic  diseases  is  often  found  in  the  debility  and 
weakness  into  which  youths  fall  who  are  spoiled  by 
rich  parents,  being  carried  away  by  their  supera- 
bundance and  wantonness,  and  seduced  by  wicked 
companions  through  destructive  passions  and  excesses, 
through  revelings,  abuse  of  the  sexual  instinct,  gam- 
bling, etc.  Without  the  least  regard  for  life  and 
for  conscience,  bodies  orginally  robust  are  debili- 
tated by  such  vices  into  mere  semblances  of  hu- 
manity, and  are  besides  ruined  by  perverse  treatment 
of  their  venereal  diseases,  so  that  the  Psora,  which 
frequently  lurks  within,  grows  up  into  the  most  piti- 
able chronic  diseases,  which,  even  if  the  morality  of 
the  patient  should  have  improved,  on  account  of  the 
depressing  remorse,  and  the  little  remnant  of  their 
wasted  vital  powers,  accept  antipsoric  relief  only  with 
the  greatest  difficulty.  Such  cases  should  be  under- 
taken by  homoeopathic  physicians  as  curable  only  with 
the  greatest  caution  and  reserve. 

But  where  the  above-mentioned  often  almost  insur- 
mountable obstacles  to  the  cure  of  these  innumerable 
chronic  diseases  are  not  present,*  there  is  nevertheless 

*One  additional  obstacle  to  the  homoeopathic  cure  of  chronic  dis- 
eases, and  one  which  is  not  very  rare,  but  is  still  usually  disregarded, 
is:  The  suppressed  sexual  instinct  with  marriageable  persons  of 
either  sex,  either  from  non-marriage  owing  to  various  causes  not 


HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES.  201 

found  at  times,  especially  with  the  lower  classes  of 
patients,  a  peculiar  obstruction  to  the  cure,  which  lies 
in  the  source  of  the  malady  itself,  where  the  Psora, 
after  repeated  infections  and  a  repeated  external  re- 
pression of  the  resulting  eruption,  had  developed 
gradually  from  its  internal  state  into  one  or  more  se- 
vere chronic  ailments.  A  cure  will,  indeed,  also  be 
certainly  effected  here,  if  the  above-mentioned  ob- 
stacles do  not  prevent,  by  a  judicious  use  of  the  anti- 
psoric  remedies,  but  only  with  much  patience  and 
considerable  time,  and  only  with  patients  who  observe 
the  directions  and  who  are  not  too  aged  or  too  much 
debilitated. 

But  in  these  difficult  cases  also  the  wise  arrange- 
ment of  nature  is  manifested  in  aid  of  our  efforts  if  we 
only  make  a  good  use  of  the  favorable  moment  offer- 
ing. For  experience  informs  us  that  in  a  case  of  itch 
arising  from  a  new  infection,  even  when,  after  several 
preceding  infections  and  repressions  of  the  eruption, 
the  Psora  has  made  considerable  progress  in  the  pro- 
duction of  chronic  diseases  of  many  kinds,  the  itch 
which  has  last  arisen,  if  it  has  only  still  kept  its  full 
primitive  eruption  unhindered  on  the  skin,  may  be 
cured  almost  as  easily  as  if  it  were  the  first  and  the 

removable  by  a  physician,  or  where  in  married  persons  sexual  in- 
tercourse of  an  infirm  wife  with  a  vigorous  husband,  or  of  the  in- 
firm husband  with  a  vigorous  wife  has  been  absolutely  and  forever 
interdicted  by  an  injudicious  physician,  as  is  not  infrequently  the 
case.  In  such  cases  a  more  intelligent  physician,  recognizing  the 
circumstances  and  the  natural  impulse  implanted  by  the  Creator, 
will  give  his  permission  and  thus  most  infrequently  render  curable 
a  multitude  of  hysterical  and  hypochondriac  states,  yea,  often 
even  melancholy  and  insanity. 
14 


202  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

only  one,  i.  e.,  usually  by  merely  one  or  a  few  doses 
of  the  appropriate  antipsoric  medicine,  and  that  by 
such  a  cure  the  whole  Psora  of  all  the  preceding  infec- 
tions, together  with  its  outbreaks  into  chronic  ail- 
ments, is  cured.* 

Nevertheless  it  is  not  advisable  to  intentionally 
cause  a  new  artificial  infection  with  itch,  even  if  the 
patient  felt  no  repugnance  to  it  (as  is,  nevertheless, 
frequently  the  case)  merely  on  account  of  the  easier 
cure  in  that  case  of  the  old  Psora  which  had  been 
several  times  renewed;  because  in  severe  chronic  dis- 
eases of  a  non-venereal  and  therefore  psoric  origin, — 
as  e.g.,  suppuration  of  the  lungs,  a  complete  paralyza- 
tion  of  one  or  another  part  of  the  body,  etc., — the  itch 
miasma  rarely  retains  its  hold,  and,  as  far  as  experi- 
ence shows,  it  clings  less  when  caused  by  an  artificial 
inoculation  than  when  it  originates  from  an  accidental, 
unintentional  infection. 

I  have  little  further  to  say  to  the  physician  already 

skilled  in  the   homoeopathic  art  as  to  how  he   is  to 

operate  in  the  cure  of  chronic  diseases,  except  to  direct 

im  to  the  antipsoric  remedies  appended  to  this  work; 

*  The  same  is  the  case,  according  to  the  merciful  arrangement  of 
nature,  with  syphilis,  where,  after  a  local  destruction  of  the 
chancre  or  the  bubo  and  after  a  consequent  breaking  out  of  the 
venereal  disease,  a  new  infection  takes  place.  The  new  infection, 
while  the  chancre  remains  undisturbed,  may  be  cured,  together 
with  the  venereal  disease  sprung  from  the  former  infection,  just  as 
easily  by  a  single  dose  of  the  best  mercurial  preparation,  as  if  the 
first  chancre  were  still  present, — provided  that  no  complication 
with  either  of  the  other  two  chronic  miasmata,  especially  the 
psoric,  has  taken  place;  for  in  such  a  case,  as  has  been  mentioned 
above,  the  Psora  must  first  be  removed. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  203 

for  he  will  know  how  to  use  these  remedies  for  this 
noble  end  successfull3^  I  have  only  to  add  a  few 
cautions. 

First  of  all,  the  great  truth  is  established  that  all 
chronic  ailments,  all  great,  and  the  greatest,  long  con- 
tinuing diseases  (excepting  the  few  venereal  ones) 
spring  from  Psora  alone  and  only  find  their  thorough 
cure  in  the  cure  of  the  Psora;  they  are,  consequently, 
to  be  healed  mostly  only  by  antipsoric  remedies,  /.  e., 
by  those  remedies  which  in  their  provings  as  to  their 
pure  action  on  the  healthy  human  body  manifest  most 
of  the  symptoms  which  are  most  frequently  perceived 
in  latent  as  well  as  in  developed  Psora. 

The  homoeopathic  phy.sician,  therefore,  in  cuiing  a 
chronic  (non-venereal)  disease,  and  in  all  and  in  every 
symptom,  ailment  and  disorder  arising  in  this  disease, 
no  matter  what  seductive  name  these  may  have  in 
common  life  or  in  pathology,  will  usually  and  espe- 
cially look  to  the  use  of  an  antipsoric  medicine  selected 
according  to  strictly  homoeopathic  rules,  in  order  to 
surely  attain  his  end. 

Let  him  not  think,  while  a  well-chosen  antipsoric 
medicine  is  acting  and  the  patient  some  day  feels  a 
moderate  headache,  or  else  a  moderate  ailment,  that 
he  must  give  the  patient  at  once  some  other  medicine, 
whether  an  antipsoric  or  another  remed}';  or  if  per- 
chance a  sore  throat  should  arise,  that  he  must  give 
another  remedy,  or  on  account  of  diarrhoea,  or  another 
on  account  of  some  moderate  pain  in  one  part  or  an- 
other, etc. 

No !  the  homoeopathic  antipsoric  medicine  having 
been   chosen  as  well  as  possible  to  suit  the  morbid 


204  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

symptoms,  and  given  in  the  appropriate  potency  and 
in  the  proper  dose,  the  physician  should  as  a  rule 
allow  it  to  finish  its  action  without  disturbing  it  by  an 
intervening  remedy. 

For  if  the  symptoms  occurring  during  the  action  of 
the  remedy  have  also  occurred,  if  not  in  the  last  few 
weeks,  at  least  now  and  then  some  weeks  before,  or 
some  months  before  in  a  similar  manner,  then  such  oc- 
currences are  merely  a  homoeopathic  excitation,  through 
the  medicine,  of  some  symptom  not  quite  unusual  to 
this  disease,  of  something  which  had  perhaps  been 
more  frequently  troublesome  before,  and  they  are  a 
sign  that  this  medicine  acts  deeply  into  the  very  es- 
sence of  this  disease,  and  that  consequently  it  will  be 
more  effective  in  the  future.  The  medicine,  there- 
fore, should  be  allowed  to  continue  and  exhaust  its 
action  undisturbed,  without  giving  the  least  medicinal 
substance  between  its  doses. 

But  if  the  symptoms  are  different  and  had  never  be- 
fore occurred,  or  never  in  this  way,  therefore,  are 
peculiar  to  this  medicine  and  not  to  be  expected  in  the 
process  of  the  disease,  but  trifling,  the  action  of  the 
medicine  ought  not  for  the  present  to  be  interrupted. 
Such  symptoms  frequently  pass  off  without  interrupt- 
ing the  helpful  activity  of  the  remedy;  but  if  they  are 
of  a  burdensome  intensity,  they  are  not  to  be  endured; 
in  such  a  case  they  are  a  sign  that  the  antipsoric  medi- 
cine was  not  selected  in  the  correct  homoeopathic 
manner.  Its  action  must  then  be  checked  by  an  anti- 
dote, or  when  the  antidote  to  it  is  known,  another 
antipsoric  medicine  more  accurately  answering  its 
symptoms  must  be  given  in  its  place;  in  this  case  these 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  205 

false  symptoms  may  continue  a  few  more  days,  or 
they  may  return,  but  they  will  soon  come  to  a  final 
end  and  be  replaced  by  a  better  help. 

Least  of  all,  need  we  to  be  concerned  when  the 
usual  customary  symptoms  are  aggravated  and  show 
most  prominently  on  the  first  days,  and  again  on  some 
of  the  following  days,  but  graduall}'  less  and  less. 
This  so-called  homoeopathic  aggravation  is  a  sign  of 
an  incipient  cure  (of  the  symptoms  thus  aggravated 
at  present),  which  may  be  expected  with  certainty. 

But  if  these  aggravated  original  symptoms  appear 
on  subsequent  days  still  of  the  same  strength  as  at  the 
beginning,  or  even  with  an  increased  severity,  it  is  a 
sign  that  the  dose  of  this  antipsoric  remedy,  although 
properly  selected  according  to  homoeopathic  principles, 
was  too  large,  and  it  is  to  be  apprehended  that  no  cure 
will  be  affected  by  it;  because  the  medicine  in  so  large 
a  dose  is  able  to  establish  a  disease,  which  in  some  re- 
spects, indeed,  is  similar  to  it;  with  respect  to  the  fact, 
however,  that  the  medicine  in  its  present  intensity  un- 
folds also  its  other  symptoms  which  annul  the  simi- 
larity, it  produces  a  dissimilar  chronic  disease  instead 
of  the  former,  and,  indeed,  a  more  severe  and  trouble- 
some one,  without  thereby  extinguishing  the  old 
original  one. 

This  will  be  decided  in  the  first  sixteen,  eighteen  or 
twenty  days  of  the  action  of  the  medicine  which  has 
been  given  in  too  large  a  dose,  and  it  must  then  be 
checked,  either  by  prescribing  its  antidote,  or,  if  this 
is  not  as  yet  known,  by  giving  another  antipsoric  medi- 
cine fitting  as  well  as  possible,  and  indeed  in  a  very 
moderate  dose,  and  if  this  does  not  suffice  to  extinguish 


206  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

this  injurious  msdicinal  disease,  another  still  should 
be  given  as  homoeopathically  suitable  as  possible.* 

Now  when  the  stormy  assault  caused  by  too  large  a 
dose  of  medicine,  although  homoeopathically  selected, 
has  been  assuaged  through  an  antidote  or  the  later  use 
of  some  other  antipsoric  remedies,  then,  later  on,  the 
same  antipsoric  remedy — which  had  been  hurtful  only 
because  of  its  over-large  dose — can  be  used  again,  and, 
indeed,  as  soon  as  it  is  homoeopathically  indicated,  with 
the  greatest  success,  only  in  a  far  smaller  dose  and  in 
a  much  more  highly  potentized  attenuation,  /.  ^.,  in  a 
milder  qualit}'. 

The  physician  can,  indeed,  make  no  worse  mistake 
than  first,  to  consider  as  too  small  the  doses  which  I 
(forced  by  experience)  have  reduced  after  manifold 
trials  and  which  are  indicated  with  every  antipsoric 
remedy  and  secondly,  the  wrong  choice  of  a  remedy,  and 
thirdly,  the  hastiness  which  does  not  allow  each  dose 
to  act  its  full  time. 

The  first  error  I  have  already  spoken  of,  and  would 
only  add  that  nothing  is  lost  if  the  dose  is  given  even 
smaller  than  I  "have  prescribed.  //  can  hardly  be  given 
too  sfnall,  if  only  everything  in  the  diet  and  the  remain- 
ing mode  of  life  of  the  patient  which  would  obstruct  or 
counteract  the  action  of  the  medicine  is  avoided.    The 

*I  have  myself  experienced  this  accident,  which  is  very  ob- 
structive to  a  cure  and  cannot  l5fe  avoided  too  carefully.  Still 
ignorant  of  the  strength  of  its  medicinal  power,  I  gave  Sepia  in 
too  large  a  dose.  This  trouble  was  still  more  manifest  when  I  gave 
Lycopodiutn  and  Silicea,  potentized  to  the  one-billionth  degree, 
giving  four  to  six  pellets,  though  only  as  large  as  poppy  seeds. 
Discite  nioniti! 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  207 

medicine  will  still  produce  all  the  good  effects  which 
can  at  all  be  expected  from  a  medicine,  if  only  the  anti- 
psoric  was  homoeopathically,  correctly  selected  accord- 
ing to  the  carefully  investigated  symptoms  of  the  dis- 
ease, and  if  the  patient  does  not  disturb  its  effects  by 
his  violation  of  the  rules.  If  ever  it  should  happen 
that  the  choice  has  not  been  correctly  made,  the  great 
advantage  remains  that  the  incorrectly  selected  medi- 
cine in  this  smallest  dose  may,  in  the  manner  indicated 
above,  be  counteracted  more  easily,  whereupon  the  cure 
may  be  continued  without  delay  with  a  more  suitable 
antipsoric. 

As  to  the  second  chief  error  in  the  cure  of  chronic 
diseases  {the  unhomceopathic  choice  of  the  medicine)  the 
homoeopathic  beginner  (many,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  re- 
main such  beginners  their  life  long)  sins  chiefly  through 
inexactness,  lack  of  earnestness  and  through  love  of 
ease. 

With  the  great  conscientiousness  which  should  be 
shown  in  the  restoration  of  a  human  life  endangered 
by  sickness,  more  than  in  anything  else,  the  homoeo- 
path, if  he  would  act  in  a  manner  worthy  of  his  calling, 
should  investigate  first  the  whole  state  of  the  patient, 
the  internal  cause  as  far  as  it  is  remembered,  and  the 
cause  of  the  continuance  of  the  ailment,  his  mode  of 
life,  his  quality  as  to  mind,  soul  and  body,  together 
with  all  his  symptoms  (see  directions  in  Organon),  and 
then  he  should  carefully  find  out  in  the  work  on  Chronic 
Diseases,  as  well  as  in  the  work  on  Materia  Medica 
Pura,  a  remedy  covering  in  similarity,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, all  the  moments,  or  at  least  the  most  striking  and 
peculiar  ones,  with  its  own  peculiar  symptoms;  and  for 


208  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

this  purpose  he  should  not  be  satisfied  with  any  of  the 
existing  repertories — a  carelessness  only  too  frequent; 
for  these  books  are  only  intended  to  give  light  hints  as 
to  one  or  another  remedy  that  might  be  selected,  but 
they  can  never  dispense  him  from  making  the  research 
at  the  first  fountain  heads.  He  who  does  not  take  the 
trouble  of  treading  this  path  in  all  critical  and  compli- 
cated diseases,  and,  indeed,  with  all  patience  and  in- 
telligence, but  contents  himself  with  the  vague  hints  of 
the  repertories  in  the  choice  of  a  remedy,  and  who  thus 
quickly  dispatches  one  patient  after  the  other,  does  not 
deserve  the  honorable  title  of  a  genuine  homoeopath, 
but  is  rather  to  be  called  a  bungler,  who  on  that  ac- 
count has  continually  to  change  his  remedies  until  the 
patient  loses  patience;  and,  as  his  ailments  have,  of 
course,  only  been  aggravated,  he  must  leave  this  ag- 
gravator  of  diseases,  whereby  the  art  itself  suffers  dis- 
credit instead  of  the  unworthy  disciple  of  art. 

This  disgraceful  love  of  ease  (in  the  calling  which 
demands  the  most  conscientious  care)  often  induces 
such  would-be  homoeopaths  to  give  their  medicines 
merely  from  the  (often  problematic)  statement  of  their 
use  {,ab  usii  in  niorbis)  which  are  enumerated  in  the 
introductions  to  the  medicines,  a  method  which  is  al- 
together faulty  and  strongly  savors  of  allopathy,  as 
these  statements  usually  only  give  a  few  symptoms. 
They  should  only  serve  as  a  confirmation  of  a  choice 
made  according  to  the  pure  actions  of  the  medicines, 
but  never  to  determine  the  selection  of  a  remedy,  which 
can  cure  only  when  used  according  to  the  exact  simili- 
tude of  its  homoeopathic  symptoms.  There  are,  we 
are  sorry  to  say,  even  authors  who  advise  following 
this  empiric  pathway  of  error! 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  209 

The  third  leading  mistake  which  the  homoeopathic 
physician  cannot  too  carefully  nor  too  steadfastly  avoid 
while  treating  chronic  diseases  is  in  hastily  and  thought- 
lessly— when  a  properly  moderate  dose  of  a  well  selected 
antipsoric  medicine  has  been  serviceable  for  several 
days — giving  some  other  medicine  in  the  mistaken  sup- 
position that  so  small  a  dose  could  not  possibly  operate 
and  be  of  use  more  than  eight  or  ten  days.  This  no- 
tion is  sought  to  be  supported  by  the  statement  that 
on  some  day  or  other,  while  allowed  to  continue  its 
action,  the  morbid  sj'mptoms,  which  were  to  be  eradi- 
cated, had  shown  themselves  somewhat  from  time  to 
time. 

But  if  once  a  medicine,  because  it  was  selected  in  a 
correct  homoeopathic  manner,  is  acting  well  and  use- 
fully, which  is  seen  by  the  eighth  or  tenth  day,  then  an 
hour  or  even  half  a  day  may  come  when  a  moderate 
homoeopathic  aggravation  again  takes  place.  The 
good  results  will  not  fail  to  appear,  but  may,  in  very 
tedious  ailments,  not  show  themselves  in  their  best 
light  before  the  twenty-fourth  or  thirtieth  day.  The 
dose  will  then  probably  have  exhausted  its  favorable 
action  about  the  fortieth  or  fiftieth  day,  and  before 
that  time  it  would  be  injudicious  and  an  obstruction  to 
the  progress  of  the  cure  to  give  any  other  medicine. 
Let  it  not  be  thought,  however,  that  we  should 
scarcely  wait  for  the  time  assigned  as  the  probable 
duration  of  action  to  elapse  before  giving  another  anti- 
psoric medicine,  that  lue  should  hasten  to  change  to  a 
new  medicine  in  order  to  finisli  the  cure  more  quickly. 
Experience  contradicts  this  notion  entirely  and  teaches 
on  the  contrary,  that  a  cure  cannot  be  accomplished 


210  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

more  quickly  and  surely  than  by  allowing  the  suitable 
antipsoric  to  continue  its  action  so  long  as  the  im- 
provement continues,  even  if  this  should  be  several,  yea, 
many*  days  beyond  the  assigned,  supposed  time  of  its 
duration,  so  as  to  delay  as  long  as  practicable  the  giv- 
ing of  a  new  medicine. 

Whoever  can  restrain  his  impatience  as  to  this  point 
will  reach  his  object  the  more  surely  and  the  more  cer- 
tainly. Only  when  the  old  symptoms,  which  had  been 
eradicated  or  very  much  diminished  by  the  last  and  the 
preceding  medicines,  commence  to  rise  again  for  a  few 
days,  or  to  be  again  perceptibly  aggravated,  then  the 
time  has  most  surely  come  when  a  dose  of  the  medicine 
most  homoeopathically  fitting  should  be  given.  Expe- 
rience and  careful  observation  alone  can  decide,  and  it 
always  has  decided  in  my  manifold,  exact  observations 
so  as  to  leave  no  doubt  remaining. 

Now,  if  we  consider  the  great  changes  which  must 
be  effected  by  the  medicine  in  the  many,  variously 
composite  and  incredibly  delicate  parts  of  our  living 
organism  before  a  chronic  miasm  so  deeply  inrooted 
and,  as  it  were,  parasitically  interwoven  with  the  econ- 
omy of  our  life  as  psora  is,  can  be  eradicated  and  health 

*In  a  case  where  Sepia  had  showed  itself  completely  homceo- 
pathically  antipsoric  for  a  peculiar  headache  that  appeared  in  re- 
peated attacks,  and  where  the  ailment  had  been  diminished  both 
as  to  intensity  and  duration,  while  the  pauses  between  the  attacks 
had  also  been  much  lengthened,  when  the  attacks  re-appeared  I 
repeated  the  dose,  which  then  caused  the  attacks  to  cease  for  one 
hundred  days  (consequently  its  action  continued  that  long),  when 
it  re-appeared  to  some  degree,  which  necessitated  another  dose, 
after  which  no  other  attack  took  place  for,  now,  seven  years,  while 
the  health  was  also  otherwise  perfect. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  211 

be  thus  restored,  then  it  may  well  be  seen  how  natural 
it  is  that,  during  the  long-continued  action  of  a  dose  of 
antipsoric  medicine,  selected  homoeopathically,  assaults 
may  be  made  by  it  at  various  periods  on  the  organism, 
as  it  were  in  undulating  fluctuations  during  this  long- 
continued  disease.  Experience  shows  that  when  for 
several  days  there  has  been  an  improvement,  half-hours 
or  whole  hours  or  several  hours  will  again  appear  when 
the  case  seems  to  become  worse;  but  these  periods,  so 
long  as  only  the  original  ailments  are  renewed  and  no 
new,  severe  symptoms  present  themselves,  only  show 
a  continuing  improvement,  being  homoeopathic  aggra- 
vations, which  do  not  hinder  but  advance  the  cure,  as 
they  are  only  renewed  beneficent  assaults*  on  the  dis- 
ease, though  they  are  wont  to  appear  at  times  sixteen, 
twenty  or  twenty-four  days  after  taking  a  dose  of  anti- 
psoric medicine. 

As  a  rule,  therefore,  the  antipsoric  medicine  in 
chronic  diseases  continue  their  action  the  longer,  the 
more  tedious  the  diseases  are.  But  %)ice  versa  also 
those  medicines  which  in  the  healthy  body  show  a  long 
period  of  action  act  only  a  short  time  and  quickly  in 
acute  diseases  which  speedily  run  their  course  {e.  g.. 
Belladonna,  Sulphur,  Arsenic,  etc.),  and  their  periods 
of  action  are  shorter,  the  more  acute  the  diseases.  The 
physician  must,  therefore,  in  chronic  diseases  allow  all 
antipsoric  remedies  to  act  thirty,  forty  or  even  fifty 

*  These  attacks,  however,  if  the  antipsoric  remedy  was  selected 
fittingly  and  hotnceopathically  and  the  dose  was  a  moderate  one, 
during  its  continued  action  take  place,  ever  more  and  more  rarely 
and  more  feebly;  but  if  the  doses  were  too  strong,  they  come  more 
frequently  and  more  strongly,  to  the  detriment  of  the  patient. 


212  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

and  more  days  by  themselves,  so  long  as  they  continue 
to  improve  the  diseased  state  perceptibly  to  the  acute 
observer,  even  though  gradually;  for  so  long  the  good 
effects  continue  with  the  indicated  doses  and  these  must 
not  be  disturbed  and  checked  by  any  new  remedy.* 


*The  importance  of  avoiding  the  above-described  two  errors  will 
hardly  be  realized  by  physicians.  These  great,  pure  truths  will  be 
questioned  yet  for  years,  even  by  most  of  the  homoeopathic  physi- 
cians, and  will  not,  therefore,  be  practiced,  on  account  of  the  theo- 
retical reflection  and  the  reigning  thought:  "  It  requires  quite  an 
effort  to  believe  that  so  little  a  thing,  so  prodigiously  small  a  dose 
of  medicine,  could  effect  the  least  thing  in  the  human  body,  espe- 
cially in  coping  with  such  enormously  great,  tedious  diseases;  but 
that  the  physician  must  cease  to  reason,  if  he  should  believe  that 
these  prodigiously  small  doses  can  act  not  only  two  or  three  days, 
but  even  twenty,  thirty  and  forty  days,  and  longer  yet,  and  cause, 
even  to  the  last  day  of  their  operation,  important,  beneficent  ef- 
fects otherwise  unattainable."  Nevertheless  this  true  theorem  is 
not  to  be  reckoned  among  those  which  should  be  comprehended, 
nor  among  those  for  which  I  ask  a  blind  faith.  I  demand  no  faith 
at  all,  and  do  not  demand  that  anybody  should  comprehend  it. 
Neither  do  I  comprehend  it;  it  is  enough  that  it  is  a  fact  and  noth- 
ing else.  Experience  alone  declares  it,  and  I  believe  more  in  ex- 
perience than  in  my  own  intelligence.  But  who  will  arrogate  to 
himself  the  power  of  weighing  the  invisible  forces  that  have  hith- 
erto been  concealed  in  the  inner  bosom  of  nature  when  they  are 
brought  out  of  the  crude  state  of  apparently  dead  matter  through  a 
new,  hitherto  undiscovered  agency,  such  as  is  potentizing  by  long 
continued  trituration  and  succussion.  But  he  who  will  not  allow 
himself  to  be  convinced  of  this,  and  who  will  not,  therefore,  imi- 
tate what  I  now  teach  after  many  years'  trial  and  experience  (and 
what  does  the  physician  risk  if  he  imitates  it  exactly?),  he  who  is 
not  willing  to  imitate  it  exactly  can  leave  this  greatest  problem  of 
our  art  unsolved,  he  can  also  leave  the  most  itnportant  chronic  dis- 
eases uncured,  as  they  have  remained  unhealed,  indeed,  up  to  the 
time  of  my  teaching.    I  have  no  more  to  say  about  this.    It  seemed 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  213 

But  if  these  appropriately  selected  antipsoric  medi- 
cines are  not  allowed  to  act  their  full  time,  when  they 
are  acting  well,  the  whole  treatment  will  amount  to 
nothing.  Another  antipsoric  remedy  which  may  be 
ever  so  useful,  but  is  prescribed  too  early  and  before 
the  cessation  of  the  action  of  the  present  remedy,  or  a 
new  dose  of  the  same  remedy  which  is  still  usefully 
acting,  can  in  no  case  replace  the  good  effect  which 
has  been  lost  through  the  interruption  of  the  complete 
action  of  the  preceding  remedy,  which  was  acting  use- 
fully, and  which  can  hardly  be  again  replaced. 

to  me  my  duty  to  publish  the  great  truths  to  the  world  that  needs 
them,  untroubled  as  to  whether  people  can  compel  themselves  to 
follow  them  exactly  or  not.  If  it  is  not  done  with  exactness,  let  no 
one  boast  to  have  imitated  me,  nor  expect  a  good  result. 

Do  we  refuse  to  imitate  any  operation  until  the  wonderful  forces 
of  nature  on  which  the  result  is  based  are  clearly  brought  before 
our  eyes  and  made  comprehensible  even  to  a  child?  Would  it  not 
be  silly  to  refuse  to  strike  sparks  from  the  stone  and  flint  because 
we  cannot  comprehend  how  so  much  combined  caloric  can  be  in 
these  bodies,  or  how  this  can  be  drawn  out  by  rubbing  or  striking, 
so  that  the  particles  of  steel  which  are  rubbed  off  by  the  stroke  of 
the  hard  stone  are  melted,  and,  as  glowing  little  balls,  cause  the 
tinder  to  catch  fire?  And  yet  we  strike  fire  with  it,  without  under- 
standing or  comprehending  this  miracle  of  the  inexhaustible  caloric 
hidden  in  the  cold  steel,  or  the  possibility  of  calling  it  out  with  a 
frictional  stroke.  Again,  it  would  be  just  as  silly  as  if  we  should 
refuse  to  learn  to  write  because  we  cannot  comprehend  how  one 
man  can  communicate  his  thought  to  another  through  pen,  ink 
and  paper — and  yet  we  communicate  our  thoughts  to  a  friend  in  a 
letter  without  either  being  able  or  desirous  of  comprehending  this 
psychico-physical  miracle!  Why,  then,  should  we  hesitate  to  con- 
quer and  heal  the  bitterest  foes  of  the  life  of  our  fellow-men,  the 
chronic  diseases,  in  the  stated  way,  which,  punctually  followed,  is 
the  best  possible  method,  because  we  do  not  see  how  these  cures 
are  eflFected  ? 


214  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

It  is  a  fjindaniefital  rule  in  the  treatment  of  chronic 
diseases:  To  let  the  action  of  the  remedy,  selected  in  a 
mode  liomceopathically  appropriate  to  the  case  of  dis- 
ease zvhicJi  has  been  carefully  investigated  as  to  its 
symptoms,  come  to  an  undisturbed  conclusion,  so  long  as 
it  visibly  advances  the  cure  and  the  while  improvement 
still  perceptibly  progresses.  This  method  forbids  any 
new  prescription,  any  interruption  by  another  medi- 
cine and  forbids  as  well  the  immediate  repetition  of  the 
same  remedy.  Nor  can  there  be  anything  more  desir- 
able for  the  physician  than  to  see  the  improvement  of 
the  patient  proceed  to  its  completion  unhindered  and 
perceptibly.  There  are  not  a  few  cases,  where  the 
practiced  careful  homoeopath  sees  a  single  dose  of  his 
remedy,  selected  so  as  to  be  perfectly  homoeopathic, 
even  in  a  very  severe  chronic  disease,  continue  unin- 
terruptedly to  diminish  the  ailment  for  several  weeks, 
yea,  months,  up  to  recovery;  a  thing  which  could  not 
have  been  expected  better  in  any  other  way,  and  could 
not  have  been  effected  by  treating  with  several  doses 
or  with  several  medicines.  To  make  the  possibility  of 
this  process  in  some  way  intelligible,  we  may  assume, 
what  is  not  very  unlikely,  that  an  antipsoric  remedy 
selected  most  accurately  according  to  homoeopathic 
principles,  even  in  the  smallest  dose  of  a  high  or  the 
highest  potency,  can  manifest  so  long-continued  a  cura- 
tive force,  and  at  last  cure,  probably,  only  by  means  of 
a  certain  infectioji  with  a  very  similar  medicinal  dis- 
ease which  overpowers  the  original  disease,  by  the  pro- 
cess of  nature  itself,  according  to  which  {.Organon,  § 
45,  Fifth  Edition),  two  diseases  which  are  different,  in- 
deed, in  their  kind  but  very  similar  in  their  manifesta- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  215 

tions  and  effects,  as  also  in  the  ailments  and  symptoms 
caused  by  it,  when  they  meet  together  in  the  organ- 
ism, the  stronger  disease  (which  is  always  the  one 
caused  by  the  medicine,  §  33,  ibid. )  destroys  the 
weaker  (the  natural  one).  In  this  case  every  new 
medicine  and  also  a  new  dose  of  the  same  medicine, 
would  interrupt  the  work  of  improvement  and  cause 
new  ailments,  an  interference  which  often  cannot  be  re- 
paired for  a  long  time. 

But  if  any  unfavorable  effects  are  evolved  by  the 
present  dose  of  medicine,  /.  e.,  troublesome  symptoms 
which  do  not  belong  to  this  disease,  and  if  the  mind  of 
the  patient  becomes  depressed,  if  only  a  little  at  first, 
still  increasingly,  then  the  next  dose  of  the  same  medi- 
cine, given  immediately  after  the  former,  cannot  but 
become  injurious  to  the  patient.  Yet  when  a  sudden 
great  and  striking  improvement  of  a  tedious  great  ail- 
ment follows  immediately  on  the  first  dose  of  a  medi- 
cine, there  justly  arises  much  suspicion  that  the  rem- 
edy has  only  acted  palliatively,  and  therefore  must 
never  be  given  again,  even  after  the  intervention  of 
several  other  remedies. 

Nevertheless  there  are  cases  which  make  an  excep- 
tion to  the  rule,  but  which  not  every  beginner  should 
risk  finding  out.* 

*  Still  there  has  been  of  late  much  abuse  of  this  immediate  repe- 
tition of  doses  of  the  same  medicine,  because  young  Homoeopaths 
thought  it  more  convenient  to  repeat,  without  examination,  a 
medicine  which  in  the  beginning  had  been  found  to  be  homoeo- 
pathically  suitable,  and  which  had,  therefore,  in  the  beginning, 
proved  serviceable,  and  even  to  repeat  it  frequently  without  ex- 
amination, so  as  to  heal  more  quickly. 


216  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

The  only  allowable  exception  for  an  immediate  7'epe- 
tition  of  the  same  medicine  is  when  the  dose  of  a  well- 
selected  and  in  every  way  suitable  and  beneficial  rem- 
edy has  made  some  beginning  toward  an  improvement, 
but  its  action  ceases  too  quickly,  its  power  is  too  soon 
exhausted,  and  the  cure  does  not  proceed  any  further. 
This  is  rare  in  chronic  diseases,  but  in  acute  diseases 
and  in  chronic  diseases  that  rise  into  an  acute  state  it 
is  frequently  the  case.  It  is  only  then, — as  a  practiced 
observer  may  recognize — when  the  peculiar  symptoms 
of  the  disease  to  be  treated,  after  fourteen,  ten,  seven, 
and  even  fewer  days,  visibly  cease  to  diminish,  so  that 
the  improvement  manifestly  has  come  to  a  stop,  zuithout 
any  disturbance  of  the  mind  and  without  the  appear- 
ance  of  any  new  troublesome  symptoms,  so  that  the 
former  medicine  ivould still  be  perfectly  hoinoeopathically 
suitable,  only  then,  I  say,  is  it  useful,  and  probably 
necessary  to  give  a  dose  of  the  same  medicine  of  a 
similarly  small  amount,  but  most  safely  in  a  different 
degree  of  dynamic  potency.*     When  the  remedy  is 

We  may  declare  at  once,  that  the  practice  of  late,  which  has 
even  been  recommended  in  public  journals,  of  giving  the  patient 
several  doses  of  the  same  medicine  to  take  with  him,  so  that  he 
may  take  them  himself  at  certain  intervals,  without  considering 
whether  this  repetition  may  affect  him  injuriously,  seems  to  show 
a  negligent  empiricism,  and  to  be  unworthy  of  a  homoeopathic 
physician,  who  should  not  allow  a  new  dose  of  a  medicine  to  be 
taken  or  given  without  convincing  himself  in  every  case  before- 
hand as  to  its  usefulness. 

*If  it,  e.  g.,  has  first  been  given  in  the  30th  potency,  it  will  now 
be  given  in  perhaps  the  i8th,  and  if  a  repetition  should  be  again 
found  serviceable  and  necessary,  it  might  afterwards  be  given  in 
the  24th,  and  later  perhaps  also  in  the  12th  and  6th,  etc.,  if,  e.  g.. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  217 

thus  modified,  the  vital  force  of  the  patient  will  allow 
itself  more  easily  to  be  further  affected  by  the  same 
medicine,  so  as  to  effect  by  it  everything  that  may  be 
expected  of  this  medicine  and  in  this  ailment.* 

To  adduce  an  example:  a  freshly  arisen  eruption  of 
itch  belongs  to  those  diseases  which  might  soonest 
permit  the  repetition  of  the  dose  (Sulphur),  and  which 
does  permit  it  the  more  frequently,  the  sooner  after 
the  infection  the  itch  is  received  for  treatment,  as  it 
then  approaches  the  nature  of  an  acute  disorder,  and 
demands  its  remedies  in  more  frequent  doses  than 
when  it  has  been  standing  on  the  skin  for  some  time. 
But  this  repetition  should  be  permitted  only  when  the 
preceding  dose  has  largely  exhausted  its  action  (after 
six,  eight  or  ten  days),  and  the  dose  should  be  just  as 
small  as  the  preceding  one,  and  be  given  in  a  different 
potency.  Nevertheless  it  is  in  such  a  case  often  ser- 
viceable, in  answer  to  a  slight  change  of  symptoms,  to 
interpose  between  the  doses  of  pure  Sulphur,  a  small 
dose  of  Hepar  sulphuris  calcareum.     This  also  should 

the  chronic  disease  should  have  taken  on  itself  an  acute  character. 
A  dose  of  medicine  may  also  have  been  suddenly  counteracted  and 
annihilated  by  a  grave  error  in  the  regimen  of  the  patient,  when 
perhaps  a  dose  of  the  former  serviceable  medicine  might  again  be 
gfiven  with  the  modification  nrentioned  above. 

*In  cases  where  the  physician  is  certain  as  to  the  homoeopathic 
specific  to  be  used,  the  first  attenuated  dose  may  also  be  dissolved 
in  about  four  ounces  of  water  by  stirring  it,  and  one-third  may  be 
drunk  at  once,  and  the  second  and  third  portions  on  the  following 
days;  but  it  should  each  time  be  again  stirred  so  as  to  increase  the 
potency  and  thus  to  change  it.  Thereby  the  remedy  seems  to 
take  a  deeper  hold  on  the  organism  and  hasten  the  restoration  in 
patients  who  are  vigorous  and  not  too  sensitive. 
15 


218  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

be  given  in  various  potencies,  if  several  doses  should 
be  needed  from  time  to  time.  Often,  also,  according 
to  circumstances,  a  dose  of  Nux  vomica  (x)  or  one  of 
Mercury  (x)*  may  be  used  between. 

If  I  except  Sulphur,  Hepar  sulphuris  and  in  some 
cases  Sepia,  the  other  antipsoric  remedies  can  seldom 
be  usefully  given  in  immediately  repeated  doses.  In- 
deed it  is  hardly  ever  needed  in  chronic  diseases,  as 
we  have  a  goodly  supply  of  antipsoric  remedies  at  our 
disposal,  so  that  as  soon  as  one  well  selected  remedy 
has  completed  its  action,  and  a  change  of  symptoms, 
i.  e.,  a  change  in  the  total  image  of  the  disease,  ap- 
pears, another  antipsoric  remedy  homoeopathically  ap- 
propriate to  the  altered  case  may  be  chosen  to  greater 
advantage  and  with  a  more  sure  prospect  of  hastening 
the  cure,  than  if  we  take  the  risk  of  prescribing  the 
former  medicine  which  now  is  no  longer  altogether 
adequate.  Nevertheless  in  very  tedious  and  complex 
cases,  which  are  mostly  such  as  have  been  mismanaged 
by  allopathic  treatment,  it  is  nearly  alwa3's  necessary 
to  give  again  from  time  to  time  during  the  treatment, 
a  dose  of  Sulphur  or  of  Hepar  (according  to  the  symp- 
toms), even  to  the  patients  who  have  been  before 
dosed  with  large  allopathic  doses  of  Sulphur  and  with 
sulphur-baths;  but  then  only  after  a  previous  dose  of 
Mercury  (x). 

Where,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  chronic  diseases, 
various  antipsoric  remedies  are  necessary,  the  more 
frequent  sudden  change  of  them  is  a  sign  that  the  phy- 

*That  the  itch-patient  during  such  a  treatment  must  avoid  every 
external  application,  however  harmless  it  may  appear,  ^.^.,  the 
washing  with  black  soap,  is  not  necessary  to  emphasize. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  219 

sician  has  selected  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  in  an 
appropriately  homoeopathic  manner,  and  had  not 
properly  investigated  the  leading  symptoms  of  the 
case  before  prescribing  a  new  remedy.  This  is  a  fre- 
quent fault  into  which  the  homoeopathic  physician  falls 
in  urgent  cases  of  chronic  diseases,  but  oftener  still  in 
acute  diseases  from  overhaste,  especially  when  the  pa- 
tient is  a  person  very  dear  to  his  heart.  I  cannot  too 
urgently  warn  against  this  fault. 

Then  the  patient  naturally  falls  into  such  an  irritated 
state  that,  as  we  say,  no  medicine  acts,  or  shows  its 
effect,*  yea,  so  that  the  power  of  response  in  the  pa- 
tient is  in  danger  of  flaring  up  and  expiring  at  the  least 
further  dose  of  medicine.  In  such  a  case  no  further 
benefit  can  be  had  through  medicine,  but  there  may 
be  in  use  a  calming  mesmeric  stroke  made  from  the 
crown  of  the  head  (on  which  both  the  extended  hands 
should  rest  for  about  a  minute)  slowly  down  over  the 
body,  passing  over  the  throat,  shoulders,  arms,  hands, 
knees  and  legs  down  over  the  feet  and  toes.  This 
may  be  repeated  if  necessary. 

A  dose  of  homoeopathic  medicine  may  also  be 
moderated  and  softened  by  allowing  the  patient  to 
smellt    a    small   pellet   moistened   with  the  selected 

*  That  a  homoeopathically  potentized  dose  of  medicine  should 
ever  fail  of  having  an  effect  in  a  treatment  conducted  ivith  care,  I 
think  impossible;  I  have  never  experienced  it. 

t  Even  persons  born  v?ithout  the  sense  of  smell  or  who  have  lost 
it  through  disease,  may  expect  equally  efficient  help  from  drawing 
in  the  imperceptible  vapor  (proceeding  from  the  medicine  and 
contained  in  the  vial)  through  one  nostril  or  the  other,  as  those  do 
who  are  gifted  with  the  sense  of  smell.  From  this  it  follows  that 
the    nerves    possessing    merely   the   sense   of    touch   receive   the 


220  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

remedy  in  a  high  potency,  and  placed  in  a  vial  the 
mouth  of  which  is  held  to  the  nostril  of  the  patient, 
who  draws  in  only  a  momentary  little  whiff  of  it.  By 
such  an  inhalation  the  powers  of  any  potentized  medi- 
cine may  be  communicated  to  the  patient  in  any  de- 
gree of  strength.  One  or  more  such  medicated  pellets, 
and  even  those  of  a  larger  size,  may  be  in  the  smelling- 
bottle,  and  by  allowing  the  patient  to  take  longer  or 
stronger  whiffs,  the  dose  may  be  increased  a  hundred 
fold  as  compared  with  the  smallest  first  mentioned.  The 
period  of  action  of  the  power  of  a  potentized  medicine 
taken  in  by  such  inhalation  and  spread  over  so  large  a 
surface  (as  that  of  the  nostrils  and  of  the  lungs)  lasts 
as  long  as  that  of  a  small  massive  dose  taken  through 
the  mouth  and  the  fauces. 

Such  medicated  pellets  kept  in  a  stoppered  vial  re- 
tain their  medicinal  power  quite  undiminished,  even 
if  the  vial  be  opened  a  number  of  times  in  many  years 
for  the  purpose  of  inhalation;  /.  e.,  if  the  vial  be  pre- 
served from  sunshine  and  heat.  This  method  of  allow- 
ing the  patient  to  be  acted  upon  by  smelling  the 
potentized  medicine  has  great  advantages  in  the  mani- 
fold mishaps  which  often  obstruct  and  interrupt  the 
treatment  of  chronic  diseases.  The  antidote  to  re- 
move these  mishaps  as  quickly  as  possible  the  patient 
may  also  best  receive  in  greater  or  less  strength 
through  inhalation,  which  acts  most  quickly  on  the 
nerves  and  so  also  affords  the  most  prompt  assistance, 
by  which  also  the  continuation  of  the  treatment  of  the 
chronic  disease  is  least  delayed.     When  the  mishap 

salutary  impression  and  communicate  it  unfailingly  to  the  whole 
nervous  system. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  221 

has  thus  been  obviated  most  speedily,  the  antipsoric 
medicine  before  taken  frequentl.v  continues  its  inter- 
rupted action  for  some  time.  But  the  dose  of  the  in- 
haled medicine  must  be  so  apportioned  to  the  morbid  in- 
terruption that  its  effect  just  suffices  to  extinguish  the 
disadvantage  arising  from  the  mishap,  without  going 
an}'  deeper  or  being  able  to  continue  its  operation  any 
further. 

If  a  homoeopathic  physician,  scrupulous  at  the 
wrong  occasion,  should  ask  me  how  he  might  fill  up 
the  many  days  after  giving  a  dose,  so  that  it  may  con- 
tinue itsaction  undisturbedduringthe  above-mentioned 
long  time,  and  so  satisf}',  without  injuring,  the  patient 
who  every  day*  asks  for  this  medicine,  I  reply  with  two 

*  No  old  established  custom  among  the  people,  be  it  ever  so 
hurtful,  can  be  suddenly  changed.  So  also  the  homoeopathic  phy- 
sician cannot  avoid  allowing  a  new  chronic  patient  to  take  at  least 
one  little  powder  a  day;  the  difference  between  this  and  the  many 
medicinal  doses  of  allopaths  is  still  very  great.  During  this  daily 
taking  of  a  powder,  following  the  numbers,  it  will  be  a  great  bene- 
fit to  the  poor  patient  who  is  often  intimidated  bj-  slanderers  of  the 
better  medical  art,  if  he  does  not  know  whether  there  is  a  dose  of 
medicine  in  every  powder,  nor  again,  in  which  one  of  them?  If 
he  knew  the  latter  and  should  know,  that  to-day's  number  con- 
tains the  medicine  of  which  he  expects  so  much,  his  fancy  would 
often  play  him  an  evil  trick,  and  he  would  imagine  that  he  feels 
sensations  and  changes  in  his  body,  which  do  not  exist;  he  would 
note  imaginary  symptoms  and  live  in  a  continual  inquietude  of 
mind;  but  if  he  daily  takes  a  dose,  and  daily  notices  no  evil  assault 
on  his  health,  he  become  more  equable  in  disposition  (being 
taught  by  experience),  expects  no  ill  effects,  and  will  then  quietly 
note  the  changes  in  his  state  which  are  actually  present,  and  there- 
fore can  only  report  the  truth  to  his  physician.  On  this  account  it 
is  best  that  he  should  daily  take  his  powder,  without  knowing 
whether  there  is  medicine  in  all  or  in   a  certain  powder;  thus  he 


222  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

words,  that  he  should  be  given  every  da}'  at  the  usual 
time  for  medicine  a  dose  of  sugar  of  milk,  about  three 
grains,  which  shall  be  marked  as  usual  with  continu- 
ous numbers.*  I  remark  here,  that  I  consider  the 
sugar  of  milk  thus  used  as  an  invaluable  gift  of  God.f 
We  cannot  flatter  ourselves  that  the  antipsoric 
medicine  given  was  rightly  selected,  or  that  it  will 


will  not  expect  more  from  to-day's  powder  than  from  yesterday's 
or  that  of  the  day  before. 

*  Chronic  patients  who  firmly  trust  in  the  honesty  and  skill  of 
their  physician  will  be  satisfied,  without  any  afterthoughts,  to  re- 
ceive such  a  dose  of  sugar  of  milk  every  two,  four  or  seven  days, 
according  to  the  disposition  of  each,  and  nevertheless  retain  a  firm 
confidence,  as,  indeed,  is  only  just  and  reasonable. 

t  There  were  some  anxious  purists,  who  were  afraid  that  even  the 
pure  sugar  of  milk,  either  in  itself  or  changed  by  long  trituration, 
might  have  medicinal  effects.  But  this  is  a  vain,  utterly  un- 
founded fear,  as  I  have  determined  by  verj'  exact  experiments.  We 
may  use  the  crude,  pure  sugar  of  milk  as  a  food,  and  partake  of 
considerable  quantities  of  it,  without  any  change  in  the  health, 
and  so  also  the  triturated  sugar.  But  to  destroy  at  the  same  time 
the  fear  to  which  utterance  has  been  given  by  some  hypochon- 
driacs, that  through  a  long  trituration  of  the  sugar  of  milk  alone, 
or  in  the  potentizing  of  medicines,  something  might  rub  off  from 
the  porcelain  mortar  (silica),  which  being  potentized  by  this  same 
trituration  would  be  bound  to  become  strongly  acting  Silicea  d), 
I  took  a  new  porcelain  triturating  bowl  in  which  the  glazing  had 
been  rubbed  off,  with  a  new  porcelain  pestle,  and  had  one  hundred 
grains  of  pure  sugar  of  milk,  divided  into  portions  of  thirty-three 
grains,  triturated  eighteen  times  for  six  minutes  at  a  time  and  as 
frequently  scraped  for  four  minutes  with  a  porcelain  spatula,  in 
order  to  develop  by  this  three  hours'  strong  trituration  a  medicinal 
power  either  of  the  sugar  of  milk  or  of  the  silica  or  of  both;  but 
my  preparation  remained  as  indifferent  and  unmedicinal  as  the 
crude,  merely  nutritive  sugar  of  milk,  of  which  I  convinced  myself 
by  experiments  on  very  sensitive  persons. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  223 

forward  the  cure  of  a  chronic  disease,  if  it  quickl}-  and 
entirely  destroys  as  if  by  a  stroke  of  magic  the  most 
troublesome  symptoms,  old,  great,  continuous  pains, 
tonic  or  clonic  spasms,  etc.,  so  that  the  patient  almost 
immediately  after  taking  the  medicine,  fancies  himself 
as  much  freed  from  sufferings  as  if  he  were  already 
restored,  and  as  if  in  heaven.  This  deceptive  effect 
shows  that  the  medicine  here  acts  enantiopathically  as 
an  opposite  or  palliative,  and  that  in  the  days  follow- 
ing we  cannot  expect  anything  from  this  remedy  but 
an  aggravation  of  the  original  disease.  As  soon  then 
as  this  deceptive  improvement  within  a  few  days  be- 
gins again  to  turn  to  aggravation,  it  is  high  time  to 
give  either  the  antidote  to  this  medicine,  or,  when 
this  cannot  be  had,  a  medicine  which  is  homoeopathic- 
ally  more  appropriate.  Very  rarely  will  such  an 
enantiopathic  remedy  do  any  good  in  the  future.  If 
the  medicine  which  is  thus  antipathic  at  once  in  the 
beginning,  /.  e.,  which  seemed  so  to  alleviate,  is  in- 
clined to  reciprocal  action,  it  is  possible  that  when  the 
aggravation  from  this  dose  takes  place,  a  second  dose 
of  the  same  remedy  may  produce  the  contrary,  and 
thus  bring  about  a  lasting  improvement,  as  I  have  at 
least  perceived  in  Ignatia. 

In  such  cases  we  may  also  successfully  use,  for  the 
ailments  following  after  a  few  days  from  such  an  anti- 
pathic remedy,  one  of  the  remaining  medicines  from 
the  considerable  store  laid  down  in  Materia  Medica 
Purtty  in  the  ''Archiv  der  homoeopathiscJioi  Heilhmsi" 
or  in  "'  Antialen.''  This  may  be  done  for  a  few  days 
until  the  Psora-disease  returns  to  its  customary  rou- 
tine course,  when  a  homoeopathically  selected  anti- 
psoric  medicine  is  to  be' given  to  continue  the  cure. 


224  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Among  the  mishaps  which  disturb  the  treatment 
only  in  a  temporary  way,  I  enumerate  :  overloading 
the  stomach  (this  may  be  remedied  by  hunger,  /.  e., 
by  only  taking  a  little  thin  soup  instead  of  the  meal 
and  a  little  coffee);  disorder  of  the  stomach  from  fat 
meat,  especially  from  eating  pork  (to  be  cured  by  fast- 
ing and  Pulsatilla) ;  a  disorder  of  the  stomach  which 
causes  rising  from  the  stomach  after  eating  and  espe- 
cially nausea  and  inclination  to  vomit  (by  highly  po- 
tentized  antinioniuin  criidunt)  ;  taking  cold  in  the 
stomach  by  eating  fruit  (by  smelling  of  arsenicunt)  ; 
troubles  from  spirituous  liquors  {nux  vomica);  dis- 
order of  the  stomach  with  gastric  fever,  chilliness  and 
cold  {bryonia  alba)\  fright  (when  the  medicine  can  be 
given  at  once,  and  especially  when  the  fright  causes 
timidity,  by  poppy-Juice  {opium) ;  but  if  aid  can  only 
be  rendered  later,  or  when  vexation  is  joined  with  the 
fright,  by  aconite ;  but  if  sadness  is  caused  by  the 
fright,  ignatia  seeds);  vexation  which  causes  anger, 
violence,  heat,  irritation,  by  chamomilla,  (but  if  beside 
the  vexation  there  is  chilliness  and  coldness  of  the 
body,  by  bryonia);  vexation  with  indignation,  deep  in- 
ternal mortification  (attended  with  throwing  away 
what  was  held  in  the  hand,  by  staphisagria);  indigna- 
tion with  silent  internal  mortification  (b}'  colocyuthis); 
unsuccessful  love  with  quiet  grief  (by  ignatia)  ;  un- 
happy love  with  jealousy  (b}^  hyoscyanius);  a  severe 
cold  (next  to  keeping  the  house  or  the  bed)  by  nux 
vofnica;  when  diarrhoea  resulted,  by  dulcamara;  or  if 
followed  by  pains,  coffea  cruda;  or  if  followed  by 
fever  and  heat,  by  aconite  ;  a  cold  which  is  followed 
by  suffocative   fits,  (by  it>ecacuanha)\    colds  followed 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  225 

by  pains  and  an  inclination  to  weep,  (by  coffca  cntda) ; 
cold  with  consequent  coryza  and  loss  of  the  sense  of 
smell  and  of  taste,  (by  Pulsatilla^  ;  overlifting  or 
strains  (sometimes  by  arnica,  but  most  certainly  b}^ 
rhus  toxicodendron);  contusions  and  wounds  intiicted 
by  blunt  instruments,  (by  arnica);  burning  of  the 
skin  (by  compresses  of  water  mixed  with  a  dilution  of 
highly  potentized  arsenicnm,  or  uninterrupted  applica- 
tion for  hours  of  alcohol  heated  by  means  of  very  hot 
water)  ;  weakness  from  loss  of  fluids  and  blood,  ( by 
china);  homesickness  with  redness  of  the  cheeks,  (by 
capsicum). 

But  during  the  treatment  of  chronic  diseases  by 
antipsoric  remedies  we  often  need  the  other  non-anti- 
psoric  store  of  medicines  in  cases  where  epidemic  dis- 
eases or  intermediate  diseases  {jnorbi  intcrcurrentes) 
arising  usually  from  meteoric  and  telluric  causes  at- 
tack our  chronic  patients,  and  so  not  only  temporarily 
disturb  the  treatment,  but  even  interrupt  it  for  a 
longer  time.  Here  the  other  homoeopathic  remedies 
will  have  to  be  used,  wherefore  I  shall  not  enter  upon 
this  here,  except  to  say  that  the  antipsoric  treatment 
will  have  for  the  time  to  be  totally  discontinued,  so 
long  as  the  treatment  of  the  epidemic  disease  which 
has  also  seized  our  (chronic)  patient  may  last,  even  if 
a  few  weeks  in  the  worst  cases  may  thus  be  lost.  But 
here  also,  if  the  disease  is  not  too  severe,  the  above 
mentioned  method  of  applying  the  medicine  by  smell- 
ing a  moistened  pellet  is  often  sufficient  to  help,  and 
the  cure  of  the  acute  disease  may  thus  be  extraordi- 
narily shortened. 

The   inteUigent   homoeopathic    physician   will  soon 


226  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

note  the   point  of  time  when  his  remedies  have  com- 
pleted the  cure  of  the  epidemic  intermediate  disease* 

*  Usually  these  epidemic  intermediate  diseases  appear  iu  the 
form  of  a  fever  (if  they  are  not  the  permanent  miasms,  small-pox, 
measles,  dysentery,  whooping  cough,  etc.).  There  are  fevers  of 
various  kinds,  a  continuous  acute  fever,  or  a  slow  remittent,  or  an 
intermittent  fever.  Intermittent  fevers  appear  almost  every  year 
in  a  somewhat  changed  form.  Since  I  have  learned  to  cure  chronic 
diseases  and  maladies  by  a  homoeopathic  extirpation  of  their 
psoric  source,  I  have  found  the  epidemically  current  intermittent 
fevers  almost  every  year  different  in  their  character  and  in  their 
symptoms,  and  they  therefore  require  almost  every  year  a  differ- 
ent medicine  for  their  specific  cure.  One  year  they  require  arsen- 
icum,  another  belladonna,  another  antimoniumcrudum,  orspigelia, 
aconite,  with  ipecacuanha,  alternating  with  nux  vomica,  sal  am- 
moniacum,  natrum  muriaticum,  opium,  cina,  alone  or  in  alterna- 
tion with  capsicum,  or  capsicum  alone,  menyanthes  trifoliata,  cal- 
carea  carbonica,  Pulsatilla,  one  of  the  two  carbos,  arnica,  alone  or 
in  alternation  with  ipecacuanha,  and  with  these  they  were  cured 
in  a  few  days.  I  would  not,  indeed,  except  any  one  of  the  non- 
antipsoric  medicines,  if  they  are  only  homoeopathic  to  the  whole 
complex  of  the  symptoms  of  the  prevailing  fever,  in  its  attack  as 
well  as  in  its  apyrexia  (see  von  Bcrnninghausen,  Versuch  e.  hom. 
Therapie  d.  Wechselfiebers,  1833,  Muenster),  but  I  would  almost 
always  except  cinchona  ;  for  this  can  only  suppress  its  type  in 
many  large  doses  in  a  concentrated  form  (as  quinine),  and  then  it 
changes  it  into  a  cachexy  of  quinine,  which  it  is  difficult  to  cure. 
{China  is  only  appropriate  to  the  endemic  intermittent  fever  in 
marshy  regions,  and  even  this  can  only  be  rightly  cured  by  it  in 
connection  with  antipsoric  remedies.)  Even  at  the  beginning  of 
the  treatment  of  an  epidemic  intermittent  fever,  the  homoeopathic 
physician  is  most  safe  in  giving  every  time  an  attenuated  dose  of 
sulphur  or  in  appropriate  cases,  hepar  sulphuris  in  a  fine  little  pel- 
let or  by  means  of  smelling,  and  in  waiting  its  effects  for  a  few 
days,  until  the  improvement  resulting  from  it  ceases,  and  then 
only  he  will  give,  in  one  or  two  attenuated  doses,  the  non-anti- 
psoric  medicine  which  has  been  fonnd  homoeopathically  appropri- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  227 

and  when  the  pecuHar  course  of  the  chronic  (psoric) 
malady  is  continued. 

The  symptoms  of  the  original  chronic  disease  will, 
however,  always  be  found  somewhat  varied  after  the 
cure  of  such  a  prevailing  intermediate  disease.  Also 
another  part  of  the  body  will  be  found  suffering,  so 
that  the  homoeopathic  physician  will  choose  his  anti- 
psoric  remedy  according  to  the  totality  of  the  remain- 
ing symptoms,  and  not  simply  give  the  one  he  intended 
to  give  before  the  intermediate  disease  appeared. 

When  the  physician  is  called  to  treat  such  a  preva- 
lent disease  in  a  patient  whom  he  had  not  before  at- 
tended as  a  chronic  patient  he  will  not  infrequently 
find,  especially  if  the  fever  was  considerable,  that  after 
overcoming  it  by  the  remedies  which  had  been  hom- 
oeopathically  specific  with  other  patients  of  this  kind, 
the  full  restoration  to  health  does  not  follow  even  with 
good  diet  and  mode  of  living:  but  incidents  of  another 
kind  will  show  themselves  (usually  called  after-pains 
or  secondary  diseases)  and  these  will  gradually  be  ag- 
gravated and  threaten  to  become  chronic.  Here  the 
homoeopathic  physician  will  nearly  always  have  to 
meet  a  Psora  which  is  developing  into  a  chronic  dis- 
ease, and  this  will  have  to  be  cured  according  to  the 
principles  here  laid  down. 

Here  is  a  fitting  opportunity  to  note  that  the  great 

ate  to  the  epidemy  of  this  year.  These  doses  should  however  only 
be  given  at  the  end  of  an  attack.  With  all  patients  in  intermit- 
tent/ever, psora  is  essetttially  involved  in  every  epidemy,  therefore 
an  attenuated  dose  of  sulphur  or  of  hepar  sulphuris  is  necessary  at 
the  beginning  of  every  treatment  of  epidemic  intermittent  fever, 
and  makes  the  restoration  of  the  patient  more  sure  and  easy. 


228  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

epidemic  diseases:  small-pox,  measles,  purple  rash, 
scarlet  fever,  whooping  cough,  fall  d3^senter3^  and 
typhoid,  when  they  complete  their  course,  especially 
without  a  judicious  homoeopathic  treatment,  leave  the 
organism  so  shaken  and  irritated,  that  with  many  who 
seem  restored,  the  Psora  which  w^as  before  slumber- 
ing and  latent  now  awakes  quickly,  either  into  itch- 
like eruptions*  or  into  other  chronic  disorders,  which 
then  reach  a  high  degree  in  a  short  time,  if  they  are 
not  treated  properly  in  an  antipsoric  manner.  This  is 
due  to  the  great  exhaustion  of  the  organism  which 
still  prevails.  The  allopathic  physician,  when  such  a 
patient,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  dies  after  all  his  un- 
suitable treatment,  declares  that  he  has  died  from  the 
sequelce  of  whooping  Cough,  measles,  etc. 

The  seqtiel(£  are,  however,  the  innumerable  chronic 
diseases  in  numberless  forms  of  developed  Psora  which 
have  hitherto  been  unknown  as  to  their  origin  and 
consequently  remained  uncured. 

Epidemic  and  sporadic  fevers,  therefore,  as  well  as 
the  miasmatic  acute  diseases,  if  they  do  not  soon  ter- 
minate and  pass  directly  over  into  good  health  (even 

*  When  such  an  eruption  appears  in  any  quantity,  it  is  called  by 
writers  scabies  spontanea  (spontaneous  itch) — a  mere  chimera  and 
nonentity,  for  as  far  as  history  goes,  no  itch  has  arisen  except 
from  infection,  and  it  cannot  now  arise  again  of  itself  without  in- 
fection with  the  miasma  of  itch.  But  this  phenomenon  after  acute 
fever  is  nothing  else  than  the  secondary  eruption  so  often  men- 
tioned above  springing  from  the  slumbering  and  latent  Psora  re- 
maining within  after  the  repression  (or  more  rarely  the  gradual 
disappearance)  from  the  skin  of  the  original  eruption  of  itch. 
This  eruption  frequently  leaves  the  skin  of  itself  and  it  has  never 
been  proved  that  it  infected  any  other  person  with  the  itch. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  229 

when  the  epidemic  and  acute  miasmatic  part  has  found 
a  homoeopathic  specific  which  has  been  rightly  used 
against  them),  often  need  an  antipsoric  assistance, 
which  I  have  usually  found  in  Sulphur,  if  the  patient 
had  not  used  shortly  before  a  medicine  containing  Sul- 
phur, in  which  case  another  antipsoric  suitable  to  this 
particular  case  will  have  to  be  used. 

Endemic  diseases,  with  their  striking  pertinacity, 
depend  almost  wholl}^  on  a  psoric  complication,  or  on 
Psora  modified  by  the  peculiarity  of  the  nature  of  the 
locality  (and  the  especial  mode  of  life  of  the  inhabit- 
ants), so  that,  e.  £.,  an  intermittent  fever  originating 
in  a  marshy  region,  the  patients,  even  after  removal 
into  a  dry  region,  often  remain  uncured  despite  all 
their  use  of  China,  unless  the  antipsoric  treatment  is  es- 
pecially used.  The  exhalation  from  swamps  seems  to 
be  one  of  the  strongest  ph3'sical  causes  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Psora  latent  within  with  so  many  persons* 
and  this  most  of  all  in  hot  countries.  Without  an  al- 
most regular  use  of  the  best  antipsoric  method  of  cure, 
we  shall  never  succeed  in  removing  the  murderous 
qualities  of  humid  climates  and  changing  them  into 
passably  healthy,  habitable  regions.  Man  may  accus- 
tom himself  to  the  extreme  degrees  of  atmospheric 
heat,  as  well  as  to  the  most  violent  cold,  and  can  live 
joyous  and  healthy  in  both  extremes.  Why  should  he 
not  be  able  to  accustom  himself  to  marshy  regions  just 

*  Presumably  these  exhalations  possess  a  quality  which  as  it  were 
paral3'zes  the  vital  force  of  the  organism  (which  in  an  ordinary 
state  of  health  is  able  to  keep  down  the  internal  Psora  which 
always  endeavors  to  manifest  itself)  and  thus  predisposes  to  putrid 
and  nervous  fevers. 


230  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

as  well  as  to  the  driest  mountain  regions,  if  there  were 
not  a  hitherto  undiscovered  and  unconquered  enemy 
of  vigorous  life  and  lasting  health,  lying  in  ambush  in 
marshy  regions,  i.  e..  Psora?  Wherever  Psora  lies 
latent  within  (and  how  frequently  is  this  the  case?)  it 
is  developed  into  chronic  diseases  of  every  kind,  espe- 
cially those  in  which  the  liver  is  most  affected,  through 
stagnant  water  and  the  gases  that  emanate  from  damp 
soil  and  from  swamps;  and  this  is  effected  more  surely, 
yea,  unavoidably,  by  these  causes  than  by  any  other 
physical  power  injurious  to  health. 


The  latest  symptoms  that  have  been  added  to  a 
chronic  disease  which  has  been  left  to  itself  (and  thus 
has  not  been  aggravated  by  medical  mismanagement) 
are  always  the  first  to  yield  in  an  antipsoric  treatment; 
but  the  oldest  ailments  and  those  which  have  been 
most  constant  and  unchanged,  among  which  are  the 
constant  local  ailments,  are  the  last  to  give  way  ; 
and  this  is  only  effected,  when  all  the  remaining  dis- 
orders have  disappeared  and  the  health  has  been  in  all 
other  respects  almost  totally  restored.  In  the  general 
maladies  which  come  in  repeated  attacks,  e.  g.,  the 
periodic  kinds  of  hysteria,  and  different  kinds  of  epi- 
lepsy, etc.,  the  attacks  may  quickly  be  made  to  cease 
by  a  suitable  antipsoric  ;  but  to  make  this  cessation 
reliable  and  lasting,  the  whole  indwelling  Psora  must 
be  completely  cured. 

The  frequent  request  of  a  patient  to  have  one  symp- 
tom, which  above  others  is  troublesome  to  him,  re- 
moved first  of  all,  is  impracticable,  but  the  ignorant 
patient  should  be  excused  for  his  request. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  231 

In  the  daily  written  report  during  the  use  of  an  anti- 
psoric  medicine,  the  patient  who  Hves  at  a  distance 
should  underscore  once,  for  the  information  of  the 
physician,  those  incident  symptoms  during  the  day, 
which  after  a  considerable  time  or  a  long  time  he  has 
now  felt  again  for  the  first  time  ;  but  those  which  he 
never  had  before  and  which  he  first  felt  on  that  day, 
he  should  underscore  tzvice.  The  former  symptoms 
indicate  that  the  antipsoric  has  taken  hold  of  the  root 
of  the  evil,  and  will  do  much  for  its  thorough  cure, 
but  the  latter,  if  they  appear  more  frequently  and  more 
strongly,  give  the  physician  a  hint  that  the  antipsoric 
was  not  selected  quite  homoeopathically,  and  should 
be  interrupted  in  time  and  replaced  by  a  more  appro- 
priate one. 

When  the  treatment  is  about  half  completed,  the 
diminished  disease  commences  to  return  into  the  state 
of  latent  Psora  ;  the  symptoms  grow  weaker  and 
weaker,  and  at  last  the  attentive  physician  will  only 
find  traces  of  it ;  but  he  must  follow  these  to  their 
complete  disappearance,  for  the  smallest  remnant  re- 
tains a  germ  for  a  renewal  of  the  old  ailment.*  If  the 
physician  should  here  give  up  the  treatment  and  sup- 
pose what  the  common  man  (and  also  the  higher  class 
of  the  non-medical  public)  is  apt  to  say  :  "  It  will  now 
likely  get  right  of  itself,"  a  great  mistake  would  be 
made  ;  for  in  time  there  would  develop  (especially 
when  any  important  untoward  events  take  place),  out 
of  this  little  remnant  of  this  only  diminished  Psora,  a 
new   chronic  disease  which  gradually  would  increase 

*  So  from  the  water-polypus  which  has  several  of  its  branches 
lopped  off,  in  time  new  branches  will  shoot  forth. 


232  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

unavoidably,  according  to  the  nature  of  diseases 
springing  from  unextinguished  chronic  miasms  as 
shown  above. 

The  cito,  tuto  et  jiicunde  (quickly,  safely  and  pleas- 
antly) of  Celsus,  the  patient  may  reasonably  ask  from 
his  physician,  and  from  the  homoeopath  he  can  rightly 
expect  this  in  acute  diseases  springing  from  occasional 
causes,  as  well  as  in  the  well-defined  intermediate  dis- 
eases prevalent  at  times  (the  so-called  intercurrent 
diseases). 

But  with  especial  regard  to  the  "  Cito"  (quickly),  /. 
e.,  the  hastening  of  the  cure,  the  nature  of  the  case 
forbids  it,  at  least  in  inveterate  chronic  ailments.* 

The  cure  of  great  chronic  diseases  of  ten,  twenty, 
thirty  and  more  years'  standing  {^if  they  have  not  been 
7nismanaged  by  an  excess  of  allopathic  treatments,  or 
indeed,  as  is  often  the  case,  mismanaged  into  incurable- 
7iess)  may  be  said  to  be  quickly  annihilated  if  this  is 
done  in  one  or  two  years.  If  with  younger,  robust 
persons  this  takes  place  in  one-half  the  time,  then  on 
the  other  hand  in  advanced  age,  even  with  the  best 
treatment  on  the  part  of  the  physician  and  the  most 
punctual  observance  of  rules  on  the  part  of  the  patient 
and  his  attendants,  considerable  time  must  be  added 
to  the  usual  period  of  the  cure.     It  will  also  be  found 

*  Only  an  ordinary  ignorant  practitioner  can  lightly  promise  to 
cure  a  severe  inveterate  disease  in  four  to  six  weeks.  He  need  not, 
indeed,  keep  his  promise!  What  does  he  risk,  if  as  a  matter  of 
course,  his  treatment  only  aggravates  the  disease  ?  Can  he  lose 
anything?  Any  honor?  No;  for  his  colleagues,  who  are  like 
him,  do  no  better.  Can  he  lose  in  self-respect?  Should  he  yet 
have  any  to  lose  ? 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  233 

intelligible  that  such  a  long-continued  (psoric)  chronic 
disease,  the  original  miasm  of  which  has  had  so  much 
time  and  opportunity  in  a  long  life  to  insert  its  para- 
sitical roots  as  it  were,  into  all  the  joints  of  the  tender 
edifice  of  life,  is  at  last  so  intimately  interwoven  with 
the  organism  that  even  with  the  most- appropriate 
medical  treatment,  careful  mode  of  life  and  observance 
of  rules  on  the  part  of  the  patient,  great  patience  and 
sufficient  time  will  be  required  to  destroy  this  many 
armed  polypus  in  all  its  parts,  while  sparing  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  organism  and  its  powers. 

The  strength  of  a  patient  under  an  antipsoric  treat- 
ment, even  if  it  should  be  continued  ever  so  long, 
ought  continually  to  increase  from  the  very  commence- 
ment of  the  correct  treatment  even  to  the  restoration 
of  health  and  of  the  normal  state.  The  strength  in- 
creases during  the  whole  of  the  cure  without  the  use 
of  the  so-called  tonics,  and  the  patients  joyously  rise 
up  again  of  themselves  in  proportion  as  their  life  is 
delivered  from  its  corroding  enemy.* 

The  best  time  for  taking  a  dose  of  antipsoric  medi- 
cine seems  to  be,  not  an  hour  before  going  to  bed  but, 
rather,  early  in  the  morning  while  fasting.  The  medi- 
cine in  the  numbered  papert  (as  also  all  that  succeed), 

*  It  is  inconceivable  how  allopathic  physicians  could  think  of 
curing  chronic  diseases  through  a  continuance  of  exhausting  and 
debilitating  treatments,  without  being  restrained  by  their  lack  of 
success  from  repeating  continually  their  perverse  treatment.  The 
amara  which  they  give  between,  together  with  the  quinine,  with- 
out being  able  to  supply  the  strength  lost,  only  add  new  evils. 

t  Numbering  the  powders  continuously  has  the  convenience  that 
the  physician  when  the  patients  render  their  daily  report  (espe- 
16 


234  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

if  it  is  desired  that  it  should  act  but  feebly,  should  be 
taken  dry  and  allowed  to  dissolve  on  the  tongue,  or  be 
moistened  with  two  or  three  drops  of  water  on  a  spoon, 
and  by  itself,  without  in  either  case  drinking  anything 
after  it  or  eating  anything  within  half  an  hour  or  a 
whole  hour.* 

After  taking  the  medicine  the  patient  should  keep 
perfectly  quiet  at  least  a  full  hour,  but  without  going 
to  sleep  (sleep  delays  the  beginning  of  the  action  of 
the  medicine).  He  must  avoid  during  this  hour,  as 
indeed  throughout  the  treatment,  all  disagreeable  ex- 
citement, nor  should  he  strain  his  mind  immediately 
after  taking  the  dose,  in  any  way,  either  by  reading 
or  computing,  by  writing,  or  by  conversations  requir- 
ing meditation. 

The  dose  of  antipsoric  medicine  must  not  be  taken 
by  females  shortly  before  their  menses  are  expected, 
nor  during  their  flow ;    but  the  dose  can  be  given,  if 

cially  those  living  at  a  distance),  putting  first  the  date  and  the 
number  of  the  powder  taken  that  day,  can  recognize  the  day  when 
the  patient  took  his  medicine,  and  can  judge  of  the  progress  of  its 
action  according  to  the  report  of  the  following  day. 

*  If  the  medicine  is  to  act  more  strongly  it  must  be  stirred  in  a 
little  more  water  until  dissolved  before  taking  it,  and  in  still  more 
water  if  it  is  to  act  still  more  strongly,  and  the  physician  should 
order  the  solution  taken  a  portion  at  a  time.  If  he  orders  the  solu- 
tion taken  in  one  or  three  days  it  must  be  stirred  up  not  only  the 
first  time,  but  also  the  other  two  times,  by  which  every  part  thus 
stirred  acquires  another  somewhat  higher  degree  of  potenc}',  and 
so  is  received  more  willingly  by  the  vital  force.  To  direct  the  use 
of  the  same  solution  for  a  greater  number  of  days  is  not  advisable, 
as  the  water,  kept  longer,  would  begin  to  putrefy.  How  a  dose 
for  smelling  may  be  adapted  to  all  degrees  of  strength,  I  have 
mentioned  above. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  235 

necessary,  four  days,  /.  e.,  about  ninety-six  hours 
after  the  menses  have  set  in.  But  in  case  the  menses 
previously  have  been  premature  or  too  profuse,  or  two 
long-lasting,  it  is  often  necessary  to  give  on  this  fourth 
day  a  small  dose  of  N21X  vomica  (one  very  small  pellet, 
moistened  with  a  high  dynamization)  to  be  smelled, 
and  then,  on  the  fourth  or  sixth  day  following,  the 
antipsoric.  But  if  the  female  is  very  sensitive  and 
nervous,  she  ought,  until  she  comes  near  her  full  res- 
toration, to  smell  such  a  pellet  once  about  seventy-two 
hours  after  the  beginning  of  her  menses,  notwith- 
standing her' continued  antipsoric  treatment.* 

Pregnancy  in  all  its  stages  offers  so  little  obstruction 
to  the  antipsoric  treatment,  that  this  treatment  is  of- 
ten   most   necessary   and   useful   in   that   condition,  t 

*  In  such  a  morbid  state  of  the  menses  nothing  can  be  done  in 
the  cure  of  chronic  diseases  without  the  intermediate  use  of  Nux 
vomica,  which  here  specifically  reduces  to  order  the  disharmony 
arising  in  the  functions  of  the  nerves  from  so  disorderly  a  flow  of 
the  menses,  and  so  quiets  this  excessive  sensitiveness  and  irrita- 
bility, which  put  an  insurmountable  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the 
curative  action  of  the  antipsoric  remedies. 

t  In  what  more  certain  way  could,  e.  g  ,  the  return  of  miscar- 
riage, which  is  almost  exclusively  due  to  Psora,  be  prevented,  and, 
indeed,  be  lastingly  prevented,  than  through  a  judicious  antipsoric 
treatment  before  or  at  least  during  pregnancy  ?  In  what  more  re- 
liable way  could  the  states  of  the  womb,  which  are  not  infrequently 
dangerous,  and  sometimes  fatal  even  in  a  proper  presentation  of 
the  foetus  and  in  a  natural  labor,  be  moved  in  advance  than  by  a 
timely  antipsoric  treatment  during  pregnancy?  Even  the  im- 
proper presentation  of  the  child  has,  if  not  always,  still  very  often 
its  only  cause  in  the  psoric  sickliness  of  the  mother,  and  the  hy- 
drocephalus and  other  bodily  defects  of  the  child  have  surely  this 
cause  !  Only  the  antipsoric  treatment  of  the  sickly  wife  if  not  be- 
fore, at  least  during  pregnancy,  can  remove  in  advance  the  moth- 


236  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

Most  necessary,  because  the  chronic  ailments  then  are 
more  developed.  In  this  state  of  woman,  which  is 
quite  a  natural  one,  the  symptoms  of  the  internal 
Psora  are  often  manifested  most  plainly  *  on  account 
of  the  increased  sensitiveness  of  the  female  body  and 
spirit  while  in  this  state ;  the  antipsoric  medicine 
therefore  acts  more  definitely  and  perceptibly  during 
pregnancy,  which  gives  the  hint  to  the  physician  to 
make  the  doses  in  these  cases  as  small  and  in  as  highly 
potentized  attenuations  as  possible,  and  to  make  his 
selections  in  the  most  homoeopathic  manner. 

Sucklings  never  receive  medicine;  the  mother  or 
wet-nurse  receives  the  remedy  instead,  and  through 
their  milk  it  acts  on  the  child  very  quickly,  mildly  and 
beneficially. 

The  corporeal  nature  (called  the  life-preserving 
principle  or  vital  force)  when  left  to  itself,  since  it  is 
without  reason,  cannot  provide  anything  better  than 
palliatives  in  chronic  diseases  and  in  the  acute  diseases 
springing  thence  which  cause  sudden  danger  to  life, 
owing  to  the  indwelling  Psora.     These  are  the  causes 

er's  inability  for  suckling,  as  also  in  suckling  prevent  the  frequent 
sore  breasts,  the  soreness  of  the  nipples,  the  frequent  inclination 
to  erysipelatous  inflammations  of  the  breasts  and  their  abscesses, 
as  well  the  hemorrhages  of  the  uterus  during  suckling. 

*  Nevertheless,  the  entire  opposite  frequently  takes  place,  so 
that  the  wife  who  before  pregnancy  was  always  sickly,  and  unin- 
terruptedly complaining,  feels  in  unusual  good  health  during 
every  pregnancy  and  only  during  this  state.  And  with  such  cases 
this  time  of  pregnancy  may  very  well  be  made  use  of  for  antipsoric 
treatment,  which  in  such  a  case  is  directed  against  the  symptoms 
of  the  morbid  state  before  pregnancy,  so  far  as  this  can  be  remem- 
bered. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  2B7 

of  the  more  frequent  secretions  and  excretions  of 
various  kinds  taking  place  of  themselves  now  and  then 
in  chronic  (psoric)  diseases,  as  c.  g.,  diarrhoeas,  vomit- 
ing, perspiration,  suppurations,  hemorrhages,  etc. 
All  these  are  attended  with  only  temporary  alleviations 
of  the  chronic  original  malady,  which  owing  to  the 
losses  of  humors  and  of  strength  thereby  only  becomes 
more  and  more  aggravated. 

Allopathy  has,  so  far,  not  been  able  to  do  any  more 
than  this  toward  a  genuine  cure  of  the  chronic  dis- 
eases; it  could  only  imitate  the  unreason  in  corporeal 
nature  in  its  palliatives  (usually  without  an  equal 
alleviation  and  with  a  greater  sacrifice  of  strength).  It 
caused,  therefore,  more  than  the  other,  a  hastening  of 
the  general  ruin,  without  being  able  to  contribute  any- 
thing to  the  extinction  of  the  original  malady.  To 
this  class  belong  all  the  many,  indescribable  purgatives, 
the  so-called  dissolvents,  the  venesection,  cupping, 
the  applying  of  leeches  now  so  insanely  frequent,  the 
sudorifics,  the  artificial  sores,  setons,  fontanels,  ex- 
utories,  etc. 

God  be  praised,  the  homoeopathic  physician  who  is 
acquainted  with  the  means  of  a  radical  cure,  and  who 
thus  through  the  antipsoric  treatment  can  destroy  the 
chronic  disease  itself,  has  so  little  need  of  the  above- 
mentioned  applications,  which  only  hasten  dissolution, 
that  he  has  on  the  contrary  to  use  all  care  that  the  pa- 
tient may  not  secretly  use  some  of  these  appliances, 
following  the  old  routine,  diffused  over  the  whole 
earth  by  allopathy.  He  can  never  yield  to  the  request 
of  the  patient,  e.  g.,  that  he  has  become  accustomed 
to  being  bled  so  and  so  many  times  a  year,  or  to  be 


238  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

cupped,  or  to  use  purgatives  or  warm  baths,  and  that 
he  therefore  needs  them.  Such  things  cannot  be  per- 
mitted. 

The  homoeopathic  physician  who  is  a  master  of  his 
art,  and  God  be  praised!  there  is  now  a  not  inconsider- 
able number  of  such  masters  in  Homoeopathy,  never 
allows  a  drop  of  blood  to  be  drawn  from  his  patient; 
he  never  needs  any  such  or  similar  means  of  weaken- 
ing the  body,  for  such  a  course  evermore  remains  the 
negation  of  curing.  Only  journeymen,  half  homoeo- 
paths still,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  use  such  a  contradictio  in 
adjecto  {zveakefiing  while  desiring  to  cure).* 

Only  in  the  one  case,  where,  as  in  many  chronic 
diseases,  the  delay  in  passing  evacuations  causes  great 
trouble,  he  will  permit  {in  the  beginning  of  the  treat- 
tnent  before  the  antipsoric  medicine  has  had  the  time 
[in  its  after-effects]  to  produce  improvement  in  this 
point)  if  the  stool  is  not  passed  for  three  or  four  days, 
a  clyster  of  clean,  lukewarm  water  without  the  least 
admixture,  also  perhaps  a  second,  if  an  evacuation 
does  not  result  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour.     Rarely  a 

*  This  may  well  be  pardoned  with  journeymen  and  beginners; 
but  when  they  assume  to  boast  of  this  noviceship  and  declare  in 
public  journals  and  books  that  the  incidental  use  of  blood-letting 
and  leeches  is  indispensable,  yea,  that  it  is  more  essentially  hom- 
oeopathic, they  become  ridiculous  and  are  to  be  pitied  as  tyros  and 
as  laboring  under  delusion;  and  their  patieutsalso  are  to  be  pitied. 
Is  it  laziness  or  a  haughty  preference  for  their  old  (although  ruin- 
ous) allopathic  routine,  or  is  it  lack  of  love  for  their  fellowmen 
which  prevents  a  deeper  entering  into  true,  beneficent  Homoe- 
opathy and  an  elevation  into  the  troublesome  but  correct  and  use- 
ful selection  of  the  remedy  homoeopathically  specific  in  every 
case,  and  into  that  mastery  of  Homoeopathy  now  no  more  rare? 


HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES.  239 

third  injection  will  be  needed,  after  waiting  a  third 
quarter  of  an  hour.  This  help  which  acts  chiefly 
mechanically  by  expanding  the  rectum,  is  harmless 
when  repeated  after  three  or  four  days  if  it  is  neces- 
sary, and,  as  before  mentioned,  only  at  the  beginning 
of  the  treatment — for  the  antipsoric  medicines,  among 
which,  in  this  respect,  Lycopodium  next  to  Sulphur  has 
the  pre-eminence,  usually  soon  remove  this  difficulty. 

The  inexcusable  wasting  fontanels  the  homoeopathic 
physician  must  not  at  once  suppress,  if  the  patient 
has  had  them  for  some  time  (often  for  many  years), 
nor  before  the  antipsoric  treatment  has  already  made 
perceptible  progress,  but  if  they  can  be  diminished 
without  totally  stopping  them,  this  may  safely  be  done 
even  in  the  beginning  of  the  treatment. 

So  also  the  physician  should  not  at  once  discontinue 
the  woolen  underclothing,  which  is  said  to  prevent  the 
taking  of  cold  and  the  recommendation  of  which  is  car- 
ried very  far  by  the  ordinary  physicians  in  default  of  any 
real  assistance.  Though  they  are  a  burden  to  the  patient, 
we  should  wait  until  there  is  a  visible  improvement 
effected  by  the  antipsorics  which  remove  the  tendency 
to  taking  cold,  and  until  the  warmer  season  comes. 
With  patients  who  are  very  weakly,  he  should  in  the 
beginning  change  to  cotton  shirts  which  rub  and  heat 
the  skin  less,  before  requiring  the  patients  to  put  linen 
underclothing  on  their  skin. 

For  many  easily  perceived  reasons,  but  especially  in 
order  that  his  delicate  doses  of  medicine  may  not  be 
interfered  with  in  their  action,  the  homoeopathic  phy- 
sician cannot  in  his  antipsoric  treatment  allow  the  in- 
termediate use   of  any   hitherto   customary  domestic 


240  HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES. 

remedy,  no  perfumery  of  any  kind,  no  fragrant  ex- 
tracts, no  smelling-salts,  no  Baldwin  tea,  or  any  other 
herb  teas,  no  peppermint  confection,  no  spiced  con- 
fections or  anise-sugar-  or  stomach  drops,  or  liquors, 
no  Iceland-moss,  or  spiced  chocolate,  no  spice-drops, 
tooth-tinctures  or  tooth-powders  of  the  ordinary  kinds, 
nor  any  of  the  other  articles  of  luxury. 

So-called  warm  and  hot  baths  for  the  sake  of  cleanli- 
ness, to  which  spoiled  patients  are  usually  very  much 
attached,  are  not  to  be  allowed,  as  they  never  fail  to 
disturb  the  health;  nor  are  they  needed,  as  a  quick 
washing  of  a  part  or  of  the  whole  of  the  body  with  luke- 
warm soap-water  fully  serves  the  purpose  without 
doing  any  injury. 


At  the  end  of  these  directions  for  treating  chronic 
diseases,  I  recommended,  in  the  first  edition,  the  light- 
est electric  sparks  as  an  adjuvant  for  quickening  parts 
that  have  been  for  a  long  time  paralyzed  and  without 
sensation,  these  to  be  used  besides  antipsoric  treat- 
ment. I  am  sorry  for  this  advice,  and  take  it  back,  as 
experience  has  taught  me  that  this  prescription  has 
nowhere  been  followed  strictly,  but  that  larger  electric 
sparks  have  always  been  used  to  the  detriment  of  pa- 
tients; and  yet  these  larger  sparks  have  been  asserted 
to  be  very  small.  I,  therefore,  now  advise  against 
this  so  easily  abused  remedy,  especially,  as  we  can 
easily  remove  this  appearance  of  enantiopathic  assist- 
ance; for  there  is  an  efficient  homceopathic  local  assist- 
ance for  paralyzed  parts  or  such  as  are  without  sensa- 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  241 

tion.  This  is  found  in  cold  water*  locally  applied  (at 
54°  Fahrenheit)  from  mountain-springs  and  deep 
wells;  either  by  pouring  on  these  parts  for  one,  two  or 
three  minutes,  or  by  douche-baths  over  the  whole  body 
of  one  to  five  minutes  duration,  more  rarely  or  more 
frequently,  even  daily  or  oftener  according  to  the  cir- 
cumstances, together  with  the  appropriate,  internal, 
antipsoric  treatment,  sufficient  exercise  in  the  open 
air,  and  judicious  diet. 

*  Water  of  this  and  a  lower  temperature  has  the  primary  power 
of  depriving  the  parts  of  the  living  body  partly  of  sensation  and 
partly  of  motion,  in  such  cases  it  therefore  gives  local  homceo- 
pathic  assistance. 


THE  MEDICINES. 


The  medicines  which  have  been  found  most  suitable 
and  excellent  in  chronic  diseases  so  far,  I  shall  present 
in  the  following  part  according  to  their  pure  action  on 
the  human  body,  as  well  those  used  in  the  treatment 
of  the  diseases  of  psoric  origin,  as  those  used  in 
syphilis  and  in  the  figwart-disease. 

That  we  need  far  fewer  remedies  to  combat  the  lat- 
ter than  the  Psora  can  not  with  any  thinking  man  form 
an  argument  against  the  chronic  miasmatic  nature  of 
the  latter  and  still  less  against  the  fact  that  it  is  the 
common  source  of  the  other  chronic  diseases. 

The  Psora,  a  most  ancient  miasmatic  disease,  in 
propagating  itself  for  many  thousands  of  years  through 
several  millions  of  human  organisms,  of  which  each  one 
had  its  own  peculiar  constitution  and  was  exposed  to 
very  varied  influences,  was  able  to  modify  itself  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  cause  that  incredible  variety  of  ail- 
ments which  we  see  in  the  innumerable  chronic  pa- 
tients, with  whom  the  external  symptom  (which  acts 
vicariously  for  the  internal  malady),  /".  e.,  the  more  or 
less  extensive  eruption  of  itch,  has  been  driven  away 
from  the  skin  by  a  fatal  art,  or  in  whom  it  has  disap- 
peared of  itself  from  the  skin  through  some  other 
violent  incident. 

Hence  it  seems  to  have  come  to  pass  that  this  half- 
spiritual  miasma,  which  like  a  parasite  seeks  to  inroot 
its  hostile  life  in  the  human  organism  and  to  continue 


.  HAHNEMANN  S    CHRONIC    DISEASES.  243 

its  life  there,  could  develop  itself  in  so  many  wajs  in 
the  many  thousands  of  years,  so  that  it  has  even  caused 
to  spring  forth  and  has  born  modified  offshoots  with 
characteristic  properties,  which  do  not  indeed  deny 
their  descent  from  their  stock  (the  common  Psora), 
but,  nevertheless,  differ  from  one  another  considerably 
by  some  peculiarities.  These  changes  are  due  in  some 
part  to  the  varying  physical  peculiarities  and  climatic 
differences  of  the  dwelling-places  of  men  afflicted  with 
the  Psora,*  and  in  part  are  moulded  by  their  varying 
modes  of  life,  e.  g.  children  in  corrupt  city  air  develop 
rhachitis,  spina  ventosa,  softening  of  the  bones,  curva- 
tures^ cancer  of  the  bones,  tinea  capitis,  scrofula,  ring- 
worm; adults  exhibit  nervous  debility,  nervous  irri- 
tability, gout  of  the  joints,  etc.  And  so  also  the  other 
great  varieties  in  the  mode  of  living  and  in  the  occu- 
pations of  men  with  their  inherited  bodily  constitu- 
tions give  to  the  psoric  diseases  so  many  modifications, 
that  it  may  easily  be  understood,  that  more  numerous 
and  more  varied  remedies  are  needed  for  the  extirpa- 
tion of  all  these  modifications  of  the  Psora  (antipsoric 
remedies). 

I  have  often  been  asked  by  what  signs  a  substance 
may   beforehand   be   recognized   as   antipsoric.''     But 

*E.  g.  the  Sibbens  or  Rade-Syge  commonly  found  in  Norway 
and  in  the  northwest  of  Scotland;  the  Pellagra  in  Lombardy; 
the  plica  polonica  (Koltun,  Trichiasis)  in  Poland  and  Carinthia, 
the  tumorous  leprosy  in  Surinam;  the  raspberr3'-like  excrescences 
(Frambosia)  in  Guinea  called  j'«?<;'^  and  in  America  plan;  the  ex- 
haustive fever  in  Hungary  called  Tsonior,  the  exhausting  malady 
of  Virginia  {asthenia  Virginensium),  the  human  degeneration  in 
the  deep  Alpine  villages  called  cretin,  the  goitre  in  the  deep  val- 
leys and  at  their  entrances,  etc. 


244  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

there  can  be  no  such  external  visible  marks  in  them; 
nevertheless  while  proving  several  powerful  substances 
as  to  their  pure  effects  on  the  healthy  body,  several  of 
them  by  the  complaints  they  caused  showed  me  their 
extraordinary  and  manifest  suitableness  for  homceo- 
pathic  aid  in  the  symptoms  of  clearly  defined  psoric 
diseases.  Some  traces  of  their  qualities  leading  in 
this  direction  gave  me  in  advance  some  hint  as  to 
their  probable  usefulness;  e.  g.  the  efficacy  of  the  herb 
Lycopodium,  much  praised  in  Poland  for  the  plica 
polonica  pointed  me  to  the  use  of  the  pollen  of  lyco- 
podium  in  similar  psoric  ailments.  The  circumstance 
that  some  hemorrhages  have  been  arrested  by  large 
doses  of  salt  was  another  hint.  So  was  the  usefulness  of 
Guaiacum,  Sarsaparilla  and  Mezereum,  even  in  ancient 
times  where  venereal  diseases  could  not  be  healed  by 
any  amount  of  mercury  unless  one  or  the  other  of 
these  herbs  had  first  removed  the  Psora  complicated 
with  it. 

As  a  rule  it  was  developed  from  their  pure  symp- 
toms, that  most  of  the  earths,  alkalies  and  acids,  as 
well  as  the  neutral  salts  composed  of  them,  together 
with  several  of  the  metals,  cannot  be  dispensed  with  in 
curing  the  almost  innumerable  symptoms  of  Psora.  The 
similarity  in  nature  of  the  leading  antipsoric,  sulphur, 
to  phosphorus  and  other  combustible  substances  from 
the  vegetable  and  mineral  kingdoms  led  to  the  use  of 
the  latter,  and  some  animal  substances  naturally  fol- 
lowed them  by  analogy,  in  agreement  with  experience. 

Still  only  those  remedies  have  been  acknowledged 
as  antipsoric  whose  pure  effects  on  the  human  health 
gave  a   clear  indication  of  their  homoeopathic  use  in 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  245 

diseases  manifestly  psoric,  confessedly  due  to  infec- 
tion; so  that,  with  an  enlargement  of  our  knowledge 
of  their  proper,  pure  medicinal  effects,  in  time  it  may 
be  found  necessary  to  include  some  of  our  other  medi- 
cines among  the  antipsoric  remedies;  although  even 
now  we  can  with  certainty  cure,  with  the  antipsorics 
now  recognized,  nearly  all  non-venereal  (psoric) 
chronic  diseases,  if  the  patients  have  not  been  loaded 
down  and  spoiled  through  allopathic  mismanagement 
with  severe  medicine-diseases,  and  when  their  vital 
force  has  not  been  depressed  too  low,  or  very  unfavor- 
able external  circumstances  make  the  cure  impossible. 
Nevertheless,  it  need  not  be  specially  stated  that  the 
other  proved,  homoeopathic  medicines,  not  excepting 
Merairy,  cannot  be  dispensed  with  in  certain  states  of 
the  psoric  diseases. 


Homoeopathy,  by  a  certain  treatment  of  the  crude 
medicinal  substances,  which  had  not  been  invented 
before  its  foundation  and  development,  advances  them 
into  the  state  of  progressive  and  high  development  of 
their  indwelling  forces,  in  order  that  it  may  then  use 
them  in  curing  in  the  most  perfect  manner.  Some  of 
these  medicines  in  their  crude  state  seem  to  have  a  very 
imperfect,  insignificant  medicinal  action  (^.  g.,  com- 
mon salt  and  the  pollen  of  Lycopodium).  Others 
(.?.  g..  Gold,  Quartz,  Alumina)  seem  to  have  none 
at  all,  but  all  of  them  become  highly  curative  by  the 
preparation  peculiar  to  Homoeopathy.  Other  sub- 
stances, on  the  other  hand,  in  their  crude  state   are. 


246  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

even  in  the  smallest  quantities,  so  violent  in  their  ef- 
fects that  if  they  touch  the  animal  fibre,  they  act  upon 
it  in  a  corroding  and  destructive  manner  {e.  g.,  Arsenic 
and  corrosive  sublimate)  and  these  medicines  are 
rendered  by  the  same  preparation  peculiar  to  Homoe- 
opathy not  only  mild  in  their  effects,  but  also  incredi- 
bly developed  in  their  medicinal  powers. 

The  changes  which  take  place  in  material  sub- 
stances, especially  in  medicinal  ones,  through  long- 
continued  trituration  with  a  non-medicinal  powder,  or 
when  dissolved,  through  a  long-continued  shaking 
with  a  non-medicinal  fluid,  are  so  incredible,  that  they 
approach  the  miraculous,  and  it  is  a  cause  of  joy  that 
the  discovery  of  these  wonderful  changes  belongs  to 
Homoeopathy. 

Not  only,  as  shown  elsewhere,  do  these  medicinal 
substances  thereby  develop  their  powers  in  a  prodigi- 
ous degree,  but  they  also  change  their  physico-chemical 
demeanor  in  such  a  way,  that  if  no  one  before  could 
ever  perceive  in  their  crude  form  any  solubility  in  al- 
cohol or  water,  after  this  peculiar  transmutation  they 
become  wholly  soluble  in  water  as  well  as  in  alcohol — 
a  discovery  invaluable  to  the  healing  art. 

The  brown-black  juice  of  the  marine  animal  Sepia, 
which  was  formerly  only  used  for  drawing  and  paint- 
ing, is  in  its  crude  state  soluble  only  in  water,  not  in 
alcohol;  but  by  such  a  trituration  it  becomes  soluble 
also  in  alcohol. 

The  yellow  Petroleum  only  allows  something  to  be 
extracted  from  it  through  alcohol  when  it  is  adulterated 
with  ethereal  vegetable  oil;  but  in  its  pure  state  while 
crude  it  is  soluble  neither  in  water  nor  in  alcohol  (nor 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  2-47 

in  ether).  By  trituration  it  becomes  soluble  in  both 
substances. 

So  also  the  Pollen  of  Lycopodiinn  floats  on  alcohol 
and  on  water,  without  either  of  them  showing  any 
action  upon  it — the  crude  Lycopodium  is  tasteless  and 
inactive  when  it  enters  the  human  stomach;  but  when 
changed  in  a  similar  manner  through  trituration  it  is 
not  only  perfectly  soluble  in  either  fluid,  but  has  also 
developed  such  extraordinary  medicinal  powers,  that 
great  care  must  be  taken  in  its  medicinal  use. 

Who  ever  found  marble  or  oyster-shells  soluble  in 
pure  water  or  in  alcohol }  But  this  mild  Lime  becomes 
perfectly  soluble  in  either,  by  means  of  this  mode  of 
preparation;  the  same  is  the  case  with  Baryta  and 
Magnesia  and  these  substances  then  exhibit  astonish- 
ing medicinal  powers. 

Least  of  all  will  anyone  ascribe  solubility  in  water 
and  alcohol  to  quartz,  to  rock-crystal  (many  crystals 
of  which  have  contained  enclosed  in  them  drops  of 
water  for  thousands  of  years  unchanged),  or  to  sand; 
nor  would  anyone  ascribe  to  them  medicinal  power, 
and  yet  by  the  dynamization  (potentizing)*  peculiar 
to  Homoeopathy,  by  melting  silica  with  an  alkaline 
salt,  and  then  precipitating  it  from  this  glass,  it  not 
only  becomes  soluble  without  any  residuum  in  water 
and  in  alcohol,  but  also  then  shows  prodigious  medi- 
cinal powers. 

*  In  its  crude  condition  and  without  this  preparation  quartz  and 
pebbles  do  not  seem  to  allow  a  development  of  their  medicinal 
powers  by  trituration  and  therefore  it  is  that  the  triturating  of 
various  medicines  with  the  indifferent  sugar  of  milk  in  the  porce- 
lain triturating  bowl  seems  to  impart  to  them  no  admixture  of 
Silicea  as  some  anxious  purists  have  vainly  feared. 


248  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

What  can  I  say  of  the  pure  metals  and  of  their  sul- 
phurets,  but  that  all  of  them,  without  any  exception 
become  by  this  treatment  equally  soluble  in  water  and 
in  alcohol,  and  every  one  of  them  develops  the  medi- 
cinal virtue  peculiar  to  it  in  the  purest,  simplest  man- 
ner and  in  an  incredibly  high  degree  ? 

But  the  chemical  medicinal  substances  thus  pre- 
pared now  also  stand  above  the  chemical  laws. 

A  dose  of  Phosphorus,  potentized  highly  in  a 
similar  manner,  may  lie  in  its  paper  envelope  in  the 
desk,  and,  nevertheless,  when  taken  after  a  whole 
year's  interval,  it  will  still  show  its  full  medicinal 
power;  not  that  of  the  Phosphoric  acid,  but  that  of 
the  unchanged,  uncombined  Phosphorus  itself.  So 
that  no  neutralization  takes  place  in  this  its  elevated, 
and  as  it  were,  glorified  state. 

The  medicinal  effects  of  Natrum  carbonicum,  of 
Ammonium  carbonicum,  of  Baryta,  of  Lime,  and  of 
Magnesia,  in  this  highly  potentized  state,  when  a  dose 
of  one  of  them  has  been  taken,  is  not  neutralized  like 
basic  substances  taken  in  a  crude  form  by  a  drop  of 
vinegar  taken  afterwards;  their  medicinal  effect  being 
neither  changed  nor  destroyed. 

Nitric  acid,  when  thus  given  in  its  highly  potentized 
state  in  which  it  is  serviceable  for  homoeopathic  medi- 
cinal use,  is  not  changed  by  a  little  crude  lime  or  crude 
soda  given  after  it,  as  to  its  strong  well  defined  medi- 
cinal action  ;  therefore  it  is  not  neutralized. 

In  this  preparation,  peculiar  to  Homoeopathy,  we 
take  one  grain  in  powder  of  any  of  the  substances 
treated  of  in  the  volumes  of  the  Materia  Medica  Pura,* 

*  Vegetable  substances  which  can   only  be  procured  dry,  e.  g. , 


HAHNEMANN'S    CHRONIC    DISEASES.  249 

and  especially  those  of  the  antipsoric  substances*  fol- 
lowing below,  i.  e.,  of  silica,  carbonate  of  baryta,  car- 
bonate of  lime,  carbonate  of  soda  and  sal  ammoniac, 
carbonate  of  magnesia,  vegetable  charcoal,  animal 
charcoal,  graphites,  sulphur,  crude  antimony,  metallic 
antimony,  gold,  platina,  iron,  zinc,  copper,  silver,  tin. 
The  lumps  of   the  metals  which  have  not  yet  been 

cinchona  bark,  ipecacuanha,  etc.,  are  prepared  by  the  same  kind 
of  trituration  and  will  completely  dissolve  when  potentized  a  mil- 
lion fold,  not  less,  with  their  peculiar  powers,  in  water  and  alco- 
hol, and  may  then  be  preserved  as  medicines  far  more  easily  than 
the  easily  spoiled  alcoholic  tinctures.  Of  the  juiceless  vegetable 
substances,  such  as  oleander,  thuja,  the  bark  of  mezereum,  etc., 
we  may,  without  making  a  mistake,  take  of  each  about  one  and  a 
half  grains  of  the  fresh  leaves,  bark,  root,  etc.,  without  any  fur- 
ther preparation,  and  triturate  the  same  three  times  with  loo 
grains  of  sugar  of  milk  to  the  millionf old  powder  trituration.  A 
grain  of  this  dissolved  in  alcohol  and  water  may  be  developed  in 
the  diluting  vials  with  alcohol  to  the  necessary  degree  of  potency 
of  their  powers  by  giving  for  each  potency  two  succussive  strokes. 
Also  with  the  freshly  expressed  juices  of  the  herbs  it  is  best  to  at 
once  put  one  drop  of  the  same  with  as  much  sugar  of  milk  as  is 
taken  for  the  preparation  of  the  other  medicines,  so  as  to  triturate 
it  to  the  millionfold  powder  attenuation,  and  then  a  grain  of  this 
attenuation  is  dissolved  in  equal  parts  of  water  and  alcohol,  and 
must  be  potentized  to  a  further  dynamization  through  the  twenty- 
seven  diluting  vials  by  means  of  two  succussive  strokes.  The  fresh 
juices  thus  seem  to  acquire  more  of  dynamization,  as  experience 
teaches  me,  than  when  the  juice  without  any  preparation  by  tri- 
turating is  merely  diluted  in  thirty  vials  of  alcohol  and  potentized 
each  time  with  two  succussive  strokes. 

*  Even  phosphorus  which  is  so  easily  oxidized  by  exposure  to 
the  air  is  potentized  in  a  similar  manner,  and  thus  rendered  sol- 
uble in  these  two  liquids,  and  is  thus  prepared  as  a  homoeopathic 
medicine ;  but  in  this  case  some  precautions  are  used,  which  will 
be  found  below. 
17 


250  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

beaten  out  into  foil  are  rubbed  off  on  a  line,  hard 
whetstone  under  water,  some  of  them,  as  iron,  under 
alcohol ;  of  mercury  in  the  liquid  form  one  grain  is 
taken,  of  petroleum  one  drop  instead  of  a  grain,  etc. 
This  is  first  put  on  about  one-third  of  100  grains  of 
pulverized  sugar  of  milk,  and  placed  in  an  unglazed 
porcelain  mortar,  or  in  one  from  which  the  glaze  has 
been  first  rubbed  off  with  wet  sand  ;  the  medicine  and 
the  sugar  of  milk  are  then  mixed  for  a  moment  with  a 
porcelain  spatula,  and  the  mixture  is  triturated  with 
some  force  for  six  minutes,  the  triturated  substance  is 
then  for  four  minutes  scraped  from  the  mortar  and 
from  the  porcelain  pestle,*  which  is  also  unglazed,  or 
has  had  its  glazing  rubbed  off  with  wet  sand,  so  that 
the  trituration  may  be  homogeneously  mixed.  After 
this  has  been  thus  scraped  together,  it  is  triturated 
again  without  any  addition  for  another  six  minutes 
with  equal  force.  After  scraping  together  again  from 
the  bottom  and  the  sides  for  four  minutes  this  triturate 
(for  which  the  first  third  of  the  100  grains  had  been 
used),  the  second  third  of  the  sugar  of  milk  is  now 
added,  both  are  mixed  together  with  the  spatula  for  a 
moment,  triturated  again  with  like  force  for  six  min- 

*  That  after  the  completion  of  every  three  hours'  trituration  of 
a  medicinal  substance,  the  mortar,  pestle  and  spatula  are  to  be 
several  times  scalded  with  boiling  water,  being  after  every  scalding 
wiped  quite  dry  and  clean,  I  presuppose  as  indispensable,  so  that 
no  idea  of  spoiling  any  medicine  that  may  be  triturated  in  it  in 
future  may  be  entertained.  If  the  further  precaution  is  used  of 
exposing  mortar,  pestle  and  spatula  to  a  heat  approaching  red 
heat,  this  will  dissipate  every  thought  that  any  least  rest  of  the 
medicine  last  triturated  can  cling  to  them,  and  thus  even  the  most 
scrupulous  mind  will  be  satisfied. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  251 

utes ;  then  having  again  scraped  the  triturate  for  four 
minutes,  it  is  triturated  a  second  time  (without  addi- 
tion) for  six  minutes  more,  and  after  scraping  it  to- 
gether for  another  four  minutes  it  is  mixed  with  the 
last  third  of  the  powdered  sugar  of  milk  by  stirring  it 
around  with  the  spatula,  and  then  the  whole  mixture 
is  again  triturated  for  six  minutes,  scraped  for  four  min- 
utes, and  a  second  and  last  time  triturated  for  six 
minutes  ;  then  it  is  all  scraped  together  and  the  pow- 
der is  preserved  in  a  well-stoppered  bottle  with  the 
name  of  the  substance  and  the  signature  100  because 
it  is  potentized  one  hundred  fold.* 


*  Only  phosphorus  needs  some  modification  in  the  preparation 
of  the  first  attenuation  to  the  looth  degree.  Here  the  hundred 
grains  of  sugar  of  milk  are  at  once  put  into  the  triturating  bowl 
and,  with  about  twelve  drops  of  water,  they  are  stirred  by  means  of 
the  wet  pestle  into  a  thickish  pap ;  one  grain  of  phosphorus  is 
then  cut  into  numerous  pieces,  say,  twelve,  and  kneaded  in  with 
the  moist  pestle  and  rather  stamped  than  rubbed  into  it,  while  the 
mass  which  often  clings  to  the  pestle  is  as  often  scraped  into  the 
mortar.  Thus  the  little  crumbs  of  phosphorus  are  rubbed  to  little 
invisible  dust  particles  in  the  thick  pap  of  sugar  of  milk  even  in 
the  first  two  periods  of  six  minutes  each,  without  the  appearance  of 
the  least  spark.  During  the  third  period  of  six  minutes  the  stamp- 
ing may  pass  over  into  rubbing,  because  the  mass  is  then  approach- 
ing the  form  of  powder.  During  the  succeeding  three  periods  of 
six  minutes  each  the  trituration  is  carried  on  only  with  a  moderate 
force,  and  after  every  six  minutes  the  powder  is  scraped  from  the 
mortar  and  the  pestle  for  several  minutes,  which  is  done  easily,  as 
this  powder  does  not  adhere  tenaciously.  After  the  sixth  period 
of  trituration  the  powder,  when  standing  exposed  to  the  air  in  the 
dark,  is  only  feebly  luminous,  and  has  but  a  slight  odor.  It  is 
put  into  a  well  stoppered  vial  and  marked  phosphorus  yj^,  the 
other  two  triturations  ig^^^,  and  ^^  are  prepared  like  those  from 
other  dry  medicinal  substances. 


252  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

To  potentize  the  substance  to  the  ten  thousandth 
attenuation,  one  grain  of  the  powder  last  mentioned 
as  being  the  one  hundredth  is  taken  with  one-third  of 
100  grains  of  fresh  sugar  of  milk,  stirred  in  the  mortar 
with  a  spatula  and  treated  as  above,  so  that  every 
third  is  triturated  twice  for  six  minutes  at  a  time,  and 
after  every  trituration  is  scraped  together  (for  about 
four  minutes),  before  the  second  third  of  the  sugar  of 
milk  is  added,  and  after  this  has  been  similarly  treated 
the  last  third  of  sugar  of  milk  is  stirred  into  it  and 
again  similarly  triturated  twice  for  six  minutes  at  a 
time,  when  it  is  scraped  together,  put  in  a  stoppered 
vial  with  the  signature  TTnnny  as  it  contains  the  medi- 
cine potentized  to  the  ten  thousandth  attenuation.* 

The  same  is  done  with  one  grain  of  this  powder 
(marked  ttt^tt)  in  order  to  bring  it  to  I,  and  thus  to 
attenuate  it  to  the  millionfold  potency. 

In  order  to  produce  a  homogeneity  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  homoeopathic  and  especially  the  antipsoric 
remedies,  at  least  in  the  form  of  powders,  I  advise  the 
reducing  of  medicines  only  to  this  millionth  potency, 
no  more  or  no  less,  and  to  prepare  from  this  the  solu- 
tions and  the  necessary  potencies  of  these  solutions  ; 
this  has  been  my  own  custom. 

The  trituration  should  be  done  with  force,  yet  only 
with  so  much  force  that  the  sugar  of  milk  may  not  be 
pressed  too  firmly  to  the  mortar,  but  may  be  scraped 
up  in  four  minutes. 

*  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  every  attenuation  (that  to  y^^,  that  to 
j-g^j,^,  and  also  the  third  tOyj^^^jy^  or  I)  is  prepared  by  six  times 
triturating  for  six  minutes  and  six  times  scraping  together  for  four 
minutes  each  time.     Thus  each  one  requires  one  hour. 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  253 

Now  in  preparing  the  solutions  *  from  this,  and  in 
bringing  the  medicines  thus  potentized  one  million- 
fold,  into  the  fluid  form,  (so  that  their  dynamization 
may  be  still  further  continued),  we  are  aided  by  the  pro- 
perty of  all  medicinal  substances,  that,  when  brought 
to  the  potency  I,  they  are  soluble  in  water  and  alco- 
hol ;  this  property  is  still  unknown  to  chemistry. 

The  first  solution  cannot  be  made  in  pure  alcohol, 
because  sugar  of  milk  will  not  dissolve  in  alcohol. 
The  first  solution  is  therefore  made  in  a  mixture  of 
half  water  and  half  alcohol. 

To  one  grain  of  the  medicinal  powder  triturated  to 
the  millionfold  potency  I,  fifty  drops  of  distilled  water 
are  dropped  in,  and  by  turning  the  vial  a  few  times 
round  on  its  axis  it  is  easily  dissolved,  when  fifty  drops 
of  good  alcohol  t  are  added,  and  the  vial,  which  ought 
only  to  be  filled  to  two-thirds  of  its  capacity  by  the 
mixture,  ought  to  be  stoppered  and  shaken  twice,  (/.  ^., 
with   two   down-strokes   of   the   arm).     It  is  marked 

*  In  the  beginning  I  used  to  give  a  small  part  of  a  grain  of  the 
I)owders  potentized  to  the  rsj^jj  or  the  I  degree  by  trituration,  as  a 
dose.  But  since  a  small  part  of  a  grain  is  too  indefinite  a  quan- 
tity, and  since  Homoeopathy  must  avoid  all  indefiniteness  and  in- 
exactness as  much  as  possible,  the  discovery  that  all  medicines 
may  be  changed  from  potentized  medicinal  pow  lers  into  fluids, 
with  which  a  definite  number  of  pellets  may  be  moistened  for  a 
dose,  was  of  great  value  to  me.  From  liquids  the  higher  potencies 
may  also  be  easily  prepared. 

t  For  the  fifty  d  rops  of  water  as  well  as  for  the  fifty  drops  of  al- 
cohol a  vial  containing  just  that  quantity  may  be  used,  so  that  we 
need  not  then  count  the  drops,  especially  as  drops  of  water  are 
not  easily  counted  when  it  flows  from  a  vial,  the  mouth  of  which 
is  not  roughened  by  rubbing  with  sand. 


254  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

with  the  name  of  the  medicine  and  tot7  i-*  One  drop 
of  this  is  added  to  ninety-nine  or  one  hundred  drops 
of  pure  alcohol,  the  stoppered  vial  is  then  shaken  with 
two.  strokes  of  the  arm  and  marked  with  the  name  of 
the  medicine  and  designated  TinyTSTT-  One  drop  of 
this  is  added  to  ninety-nine  or  one  hundred  drops  of 
pure  alcohol,  the  corked  vial  is  then  shaken  with  two 
strokes  of  the  arm  and  marked  with  the  name  of  the 
medicine  and  n.  The  preparation  of  the  higher  po- 
tencies is  then  continued  with  two  strokes  of  the  armf 
every  time  to  the  ttto-tt,  TT7¥7TrTT,  etc.,  but  to  attain  a 
simple  uniformity  in  practice  only  the  vials  with  the 
full    numbers  . tivihtivtv;  I  etc.,  are  used  in  practice,  but 

*  It  will  be  well  to  mark  on  the  label  that  it  has  been  shaken 
twice,  together  with  the  date. 

t  After  many  experiments  and  searching  comparisons  with  the 
patients  I  have  for  several  years  preferred  from  conviction  to  give 
to  the  medicinal  fluids  which  are  to  be  elevated  to  higher  poten- 
cies and  at  the  same  time  to  be  rendered  milder,  only  two  shakes 
(with  two  strokes  of  the  arm)  instead  of  the  ten  shakes  given  by 
others,  because  the  potentizing  in  the  latter  case  by  the  repeated 
shaking  passes  far  beyond  the  attenuation  at  every  step  (though 
this  is  one  hundred  fold);  while  yet  the  end  striven  for  is  to  de- 
velop the  medicinal  powers  only  in  the  degree  that  the  attenua- 
tion may  reach  the  end  aimed  for :  to  moderate  in  some  degree 
the  strength  of  the  medicine  while  its  power  of  penetration  is  in- 
creased. The  double  shake  also  increases  the  quantity  of  the 
medicinal  forces  developed,  like  the  tenfold  shake,  but  not  in  as 
high  a  degree  as  the  latter,  so  that  its  strength  may,  nevertheless, 
be  kept  down  by  the  one  hundred  fold  attenuation  effected,  and 
we  thus  obtain  every  time  a  weaker  though  somewhat  more  highly 
potentized  and  more  penetrating  medicine. 

J  Instead  of  the  fractional  numbers  xoff^xj^o  {]),  ru^oTTycTJOfffioff 
-(  n  )i  etc.,  these  degrees  of  dynamization  are  frequently  so  ex- 
pressed  that  only  the  exponent  showing  how  often  one  hundred 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  255 

the  intermediate  numbers  are  preserved  in  boxes  or 
cases  with  their  labels.  Thus  they  will  be  protected 
from  the  effect  of  daylight. 

As  the  shaking  is  only  to  take  place  through /^zt'^trrt/^ 
strokes  of  the  arm,  the  hand  of  which  holds  the  vial,  it 
is  best  to  choose  the  vials  just  so  large  that  they  will 
be  two-thirds  fiilled  with  100  drops  of  the  attenuated 
medicine. 

Vials  that  have  contained  a  remedy  must  never  be 
used  for  the  reception  of  any  other  medicine,  though 
they  be  rinsed  ever  so  often,  but  new  vials  must  be 
taken  every  time. 


The  pellets  which  are  to  be  moistened  with  the 
medicine  should  also  be  selected  of  the  same  size, 
hardly  as  large  as  poppy-seeds,  made  by  the  confec- 
tioner, partly  so  that  the  dose  may  be  made  small 
enough,  and  partly  that  homoeopathic  physicians  in 
the  preparation  of  medicines,  as  also  in  the  giving  of 
doses,  may  act  alike,  and  thus  be  able  to  compare  the 
result  of  their  practice  with  that  of  other  Homoeopaths 
in  the  most  certain  manner. 

The  moistening  of  pellets  is  best  done  with  a  quan- 
tity, so  that  a  drachm  or  several  drachms  of  pellets  are 
put  into  a  little  dish  of  stoneware,  porcelain  or  glass; 
this  dish  should  be  more  deep  than  wide,  in  the  form 

has  been  multiplied  iuto  itself  is  expressed,  thus  instead  of  \  joo 
(');  instead  of  i^j,  ioo(*);  instead  of  *,  loo(');  instead  of  yjjiii  loo 
(^•');  instead  of  j5^5^ix,  looC)  and  instead  of  decillion  i,  looC"). 
thus  only  the  exponents  as  to  the  third,  sixth,  ninth,  tenth,  twen- 
ty-ninth and  thirtieth  potency,  etc. 


256  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

of  a  large  thimble;  several  drops  of  the  spirituous 
medicinal  fluid  should  be  dropped  into  it  (rather  a  few 
drops  too  many),  so  that  they  may  penetrate  to  the 
bottom  and  will  have  moistened  all  the  pellets  within 
a  minute.  Then  the  dish  is  turned  over  and  emptied 
on  a  piece  of  clean  double  blotting  paper,  so  that  the 
superfluous  fluid  may  be  absorbed  by  it,  and  when  this 
is  done,  the  pellets  are  spread  on  the  paper  so  as  to 
dry  quickly.  When  dry,  the  pellets  are  tilled  in  a 
vial,  marked  as  to  its  contents,  and  well  stoppered. 

All  pellets  moistened  with  the  spirituous  liquid  have 
when  dry  a  dull  appearance;  the  crude,  unmoistened 
pellets  look  whiter  and  more  shining. 

To  prepare  the  pellets  to  give  to  patients,  one  or  a 
couple  of  such  little  pellets  are  put  into  the  open  end 
of  a  paper  capsule  containing  two  or  three  grains  of 
powdered  sugar  of  milk;  this  is  then  stroked  with  a 
spatula  or  the  nail  of  the  thumb  with  some  degree  of 
pressure  until  it  is  felt  that  the  pellet  or  pellets  are 
crushed  and  broken  then  the  pellets  will  easily  dis- 
solve if  put  into  water. 

Wherever  I  mention  pellets  in  giving  medicine,  I 
always  mean  the  finest,  of  the  size  of  poppy-seeds,  of 
which  about  200  (more  or  less)  weigh  a  grain. 

The  antipsoric  medicines  treated  of  in  what  follows 
contain  no  so-called  idiopathic  medicines,  since  their 
pure  effects,  even  those  of  the  potentized  miasma  of 
itch  {Psorin)  have  not  been  proved  enough,  by  far,  that 
a  safe  homoeopathic  use  might  be  made  of  it.  I  say 
homoeopathic  use,  for  it  does  not  remain  idem  (the 
same) ;  even  if  the  prepared  itch  substance  should  be 
given  to  the  same  patient  from  whom  it  was  taken,  it 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  257 

would  not  remain  idem  (the  same),  as  it  could  only  be 
useful  to  him  in  a  potentized  state,  since  crude  itch 
substance  which  he  has  already  in  his  body  as  an  idem 
is  without  effect  on  him.  But  the  dynamization  or 
potentizing  changes  it  and  modifies  it;  just  as  gold 
leaf  after  potentizing  is  no  more  crude  gold  leaf  inert 
in  the  human  body,  but  in  every  stage  of  dynamization 
it  is  more  and  more  modified  and  changed. 

Thus  potentized  and  modified  also,  the  itch  sub- 
stance {Psorin)  when  taken  is  no  more  an  idem  (the 
same)  with  the  crude  original  itch  substance,  but  only 
a  simillimum  (thing  most  similar).  For  beHveen 
IDEM  and  SIMILLIMUM  there  is  no  intermediate  for  any 
one  that  can  think  ;  or  in  other  words  between  idem 
and  simile  only  simillimum  can  be  intermediate. 
Isopathic  and  ceqtiale  are  equivocal  expressions,  which 
if  they  should  signify  anything  reliable  can  only  signify 
simillitnum,  because  they  are  not  idem  (rauTov). 


SECOND  PART. 


ANTIPSORIC  MEDICINES. 


PREFACE. 

CONCERNING  THE  TECHNICAL  PART  OF  HOMCEOPATHY. 


Since  I  last*  addressed  the  public  concerning  our 
healing  art,  I  have  had  among  other  things  also  the 
opportunity  to  gain  experience  as  to  the  best  possible 
mode  of  administering  the  doses  of  the  medicines  to 
the  patients,  and  I  herewith  communicate  what  I  have 
found  best  in  this  respect. 

A  small  pellet  of  one  of  the  highest  dynamizations 
of  a  medicine  laid  dry  upon  the  tongue,  or  the  moderate 
smelling  of  an  opened  vial  wherein  one  or  more  such 
pellets  are  contained,  proves  itself  the  smallest  and 
weakest  dose  with  the  shortest  period  of  duration  in 
its  effects.  Still  there  are  numerous  patients  of  so  ex- 
citable a  nature,  that  they  are  sufficiently  affected  by 
such  a  dose  in  slight  acute  ailments  to  be  cured  by  it  if 
the  remedy  is  homoeopathically  selected.  Nevertheless 
the  incredible  variety  among  patients  as  to  their  irritabil- 
ity, their  age,  their  spiritual  and  bodily  development, 
their  vital  power  and  especially  as  to  the  nature  of  their 

I  This  preface  was  prefixed  to  Vol.  III.  of  the  "Chronic  Diseases,"  published 
in  the  year  1837. —  TV. 


*  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1834  I  wrote  the  first  two  parts  of 
this  work,  and  although  they  together  contain  only  thirty-six 
sheets,  my  former  publisher,  Mr.  Arnold,  in  Dresden,  took  two 
years  to  publish  these  thirty-six  sheets.  By  whom  was  he  thus 
delayed  ?     My  acquaintances  can  guess  that. 


262  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

disease,  necessitates  a  great  variety  in  their  treatment, 
and  also  in  the  administration  to  them  of  the  doses  of 
medicines.  For  their  diseases  may  be  of  various  kinds: 
either  a  natural  and  simple  one  but  lately  arisen,  or  it 
may  be  a  natural  and  simple  one  but  an  old  case,  or  it 
may  be  a  complicated  one  (a  combination  of  several 
miasmata),  or  again  what  is  the  most  frequent  and 
worst  case,  it  may  have  been  spoiled  by  a  perverse 
medical  treatment,  and  loaded  down  with  medicinal 
diseases. 

I  can  here  limit  myself  only  to  this  latter  case,  as 
the  other  cases  cannot  be  arranged  in  tabular  form 
for  the  weak  and  negligent,  but  must  be  left  to  the  ac- 
curacy, the  industry  and  the  intelligence  of  able  men, 
who  are  masters  of  their  art. 

Experience  has  shown  me,  as  it  has  no  doubt  also 
shown  to  most  of  my  followers,  that  it  is  most  useful 
in  diseases  of  any  magnitude  (not  excepting  even  the 
most  acute,  and  still  more  so  in  the  half-acute,  in  the 
tedious  and  most  tedious)  to  give  to  the  patient  the 
powerful  homoeopathic  pellet  or  pellets  only  in  solu- 
tion, and  this  solution  in  divided  doses.  In  this  way 
we  give  the  medicine,  dissolved  in  seven  to  twenty 
tablespoonfuls  of  water  without  any  addition,  in  acute 
and  very  acute  diseases  every  six,  four  or  two  hours; 
where  the  danger  is  urgent,  even  every  hour  or  every 
half  hour,  a  tablespoonful  at  a  time;  with  weak  per- 
sons or  children,  onl}^  a  small  part  of  a  tablespoonful 
(one  or  two  teaspoonfuls  or  coffeespoonfuls)  may  be 
given  as  a  dose. 

In  chronic  diseases  I  have  found  it  best  to  give  a 
dose  (e.  g.,  a  spoonful)  of  a  solution  of   the   suitable 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  263 

medicine  at  least  every  two  days,  more  usually  every 
day. 

But  since  water  (even  distilled  water)  commences 
after  a  few  days  to  spoil,  whereby  the  power  of  the 
small  quantity  of  medicine  contained  is  destroyed,  the 
addition  of  a  little  alcohol  is  necessary,  or  where  this 
is  not  practicable,  or  if  the  patient  cannot  bear  it,  I 
add  a  few  small  pieces  of  hard  charcoal  to  the  watery 
solution.  This  answers  the  purpose,  except  that  in 
the  latter  case  the  fluid  in  a  few  days  receives  a  black- 
ish tint.  This  is  caused  by  shaking  the  liquid,  as  is 
necessary  every  time  before  giving  a  dose  of  medicine, 
as  may  be  seen  below. 

Before  proceeding,  it  is  important  to  observe,  that 
our  vital  principle  cannot  well  bear  that  the  same  un- 
changed dose  of  medicine  be  given  even  twice  in  suc- 
cession, much  less  more  frequently  to  a  patient.  For 
by  this  the  good  effect  of  the  former  dose  of  medicine  is 
either  neutralized  in  part,  or  new  symptoms  proper  to 
the  medicine,  symptoms  which  have  not  before  been 
present-in  the  disease,  appear,  impeding  the  cure.  Thus 
even  a  well  selected  homoeopathic  medicine  produces 
ill  effects  and  attains  its  purpose  imperfectly  or  not  at 
all.  Thence  come  the  many  contradictions  of  homoe- 
opathic physicians  with  respect  to  the  repetition  of 
doses. 

But  in  taking  one  and  the  same  medicine  repeatedly 
(which  is  indispensible  to  secure  the  cure  of  a  serious, 
chronic  disease),  if  the  dose  is  in  every  case  varied  and 
modified  only  a  little  in  its  degree  of  dynamization, 
then  the  vital  force  of  the  patient  will  calmly,  and 
as  it  were  willingly  receive  the  same  medicine  even  at 


264  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

brief  intervals  very  many  times  in  succession  with  the 
best  results,  every  time  increasing  the  well-being  of 
the  patient. 

This  slight  change  in  the  degree  of  dynamization  is 
even  effected,  if  the  bottle  which  contains  the  solution 
of  one  or  more  pellets  is  merely  well  shaken  five  or  six 
times,  every  time  before  taking  it. 

Now  when  the  physician  has  in  this  way  used  up  the 
solution  of  the  medicine  that  had  been  prepared,  if  the 
medicine  continues  useful,  he  will  take  one  or  two  pel- 
lets of  the  same  medicine  in  a  lower  potency,  (^.  g.y 
if  before  he  had  used  the  thirtieth  dilution,  he  will  now 
take  one  or  two  pellets  of  the  twenty-fourth),  and  will 
make  a  solution  in  about  as  many  spoonfuls  of  water, 
shaking  up  the  bottle,  and  adding  a  little  alcohol  or  a 
few  pieces  of  charcoal.  This  last  solution  may  then 
be  taken  in  the  same  manner,  or  at  longer  intervals, 
perhaps  also  less  of  the  solution  at  a  time  ;  but  every 
time  the  solution  must  be  shaken  up  live  or  six  times. 
This  will  be  continued  so  long  as  the  remedy  still  pro- 
duces improvement  and  until  new  ailments  (such  as 
have  never  yet  occurred  with  other  patients  in  this 
disease),  appear  ;  for  in  such  a  case  a  new  remedy 
will  have  to  be  used.  On  any  day  vvhen  the  remedy 
has  produced  too  strong  an  action,  the  dose  should  be 
omitted  for  a  day.  If  the  symptoms  of  the  disease 
alone  appear,  but  are  considerably  aggravated  even 
during  the  more  moderate  use  of  the  medicine,  then 
the  time  has  come  to  break  off  in  the  use  of  the  medi- 
cine for  one  or  two  weeks,  and  to  await  a  considerable 
improvement.* 

*  In  treating  acute  cases  of  disease  the  homoeopathic  physician 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  265 

When  the  medicine  has  been  consumed  and  it  is 
found  necessary  to  continue  the  same  remedy,  if  the 
physician  should  desire  to  prepare  a  new  portion  of 
medicine  from  the  same  degree  of  potency,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  give  to  the  new  solution  as  many  shakes, 
as  the  number  of  shakes  given  to  the  last  portion 
amount  to  when  summed  up  together,  and  then  a  few 
more,  before  the  patient  is  given  the  first  dose  ;  but 
after  that,  with  the  subsequent  doses,  the  solution  is 
to  be  shaken  up  only  five  or  six  times. 

In  this  manner  the  homoeopathic  physician  will  de- 
rive all  the  benefit  from  a  well  selected  remedy,  which 
can  be  obtained  in  an}^  special  case  of  chronic  disease 
by  doses  given  through  the  mouth. 

But  if  the  diseased  organism  is  affected  by  the  physi- 
cian through  this  same  appropriate  remedy  at  the 
same  time  in  sensitive  spots  other  than  the  nerves  of 

will  proceed  in  a  similar  manner.  He  will  dissolve  one  (two)  pel- 
let of  the  highly  potentized,  well  selected  medicine  in  seven,  ten 
or  fifteen  tablespoonfuls  of  water  (without  addition)  by  shaking 
the  bottle.  He  will  then,  according  as  the  disease  is  more  or  less 
acute,  and  more  or  less  dangerous,  give  the  patient  every  half 
hour,  or  every  hour,  every  two,  three,  four,  six  hours  (after  again 
well  shaking  the  bottle)  a  whole  or  a  half  tablespoonful  of  the 
solution,  or,  in  the  case  of  a  child,  even  less.  If  the  physician  sees 
no  new  symptoms  develop,  he  will  continue  at  these  intervals,  un- 
til the  sj-mptoms  present  at  first  begin  to  be  aggravated  ;  then  he 
will  give  it  at  longer  intervals  and  less  at  a  time. 

As  is  well  known,  in  cholera  the  suitable  medicine  has  often  to 
be  given  at  far  shorter  intervals. 

Children  are  always  given  these  solutions  from  their  usual  drink- 
ing  vessels;  a  teaspoon   for  drinking  is  to  them  unusual  and  sus- 
picious, and  thej'   will   refuse  the  tasteless  liquid  at  once  on  that 
account.     A  little  sugar  may  be  added  for  their  sake. 
18 


266  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

the  mouth  and  the  ahmentary  canal,  i.  c,  if  this  same 
remedy  that  has  been  found  useful  is  at  the  same  time 
in  its  watery  solution  rubbed  in  (even  in  small  quan- 
tities) into  one  or  more  parts  of  the  body  which  are 
most  free  from  the  morbid  ailments  {e,  g.,  on  an  arm, 
or  on  the  thigh  or  leg,  which  have  neither  cutaneous 
eruptions,  nor  pains,  nor  cramps) — then  the  curative 
effects  are  much  increased.  The  limbs  which  are  thus 
rubbed  with  the  solution  may  also  be  varied,  first  one, 
then  another.  Thus  the  physician  will  receive  a 
greater  action  from  the  medicine  homoepathically  suit- 
able to  the  chronic  patient,  and  can  cure  him  more 
quickly,  than  by  merely  internally  administering  the 
remedy. 

This  mode  of  procedure  has  been  frequently  proved 
by  myself  and  found  extraordinarily  curative  ;  yea,  at- 
tended by  the  most  startling  good  effects  ;  the  medi- 
cine taken  internally  being  at  the  same  time  rubbed 
on  the  skin  externally.  This  procedure  will  also  ex- 
plain the  wonderful  cures,  of  rare  occurrence,  indeed, 
where  chronic  crippled  patients  witJi  sound  skin  re- 
covered quickly  and  permanently  by  a  few  baths  in  a 
mineral  water,  the  medicinal  constituents  of  which 
were  to  a  great  degree  homoeopathic  to  their  chronic 
disease.* 

*  On  the  other  hand  such  baths  have  also  inflicted  a  proportion- 
ally greater  injury  with  patients  who  suffered  from  ulcers  and  cu- 
taneous eruptions  ;  for  these  were  driven  by  them  from  the  skin, 
as  may  be  done  by  other  external  means,  when  after  a  short  period 
of  health,  the  vital  force  of  the  patient  transferred  the  internal 
uncured  disease  to  another  part  of  the  body,  and  one  much  more 
important   to  life   and    health.     Thus,  <'.  ^. ,  may  be  produced  the 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases.  267 

The  limb,  therefore,  on  which  the  solution  is  to  be 
rubbed  in,  must  be  free  from  cutaiieoiis  ailments.  In 
order  to  introduce  also  here  change  and  variation, 
when  several  of  the  limbs  are  free  from  cutaneous  ail- 
ments, one  limb  after  the  other  should  be  used,  in 
alternation  on  different  days,  (best  on  days  when  the 
medicine  is  not  taken  internally).  A  small  quantity 
of  the  solution  should  be  rubbed  in  with  the  hand, 
until  the  limb  is  dry.  Also  for  this  purpose,  the  bot 
tie  should  be  shaken  five  or  six  times. 

Convenient  as  the  mode  of  administering  the  medi- 
cine above  described  may  be,  and  much  as  it  surely 
advances  the  cure  of  chronic  diseases,  nevertheless, 
the  greater  quantity  of  alcohol  or  whiskey  or  the  sev- 
eral lumps  of  charcoal  which  have  to  be  added  in 
warmer  weather  to  preserve  the  watery  solution  were 
still  objectionable  to  me  with  many  patients. 

I  have,  therefore,  lately  found  the  following  mode 
of  administration  preferable  with  careful  patients: 
From  a  mixture  of  about  five  tablespoonfuls  of  pure 
water  and  five  tablespoonfuls  of  French  brandy, 
which  is  kept  on  hand  in  a  bottle,  200,  300  or  400  drops 
(according  as  the  solution  is  to  be  weaker  or  stronger) 
are  dropped  into  a  little  vial,  which  may  be  half-filled 
with  it,  and  in  which  the  medicinal  powder  or  the  pel- 
obscuration  of  the  crystalline  lens,  the  paralysis  of  the  optic  nerve, 
the  destruction  of  the  sense  of  hearing  ;  pains  also  of  innumerable 
kinds  in  consequence  torture  the  patient,  his  mental  organs  suffer, 
his  mind  becomes  obscured,  spasmodic  asthma  threatens  to  suffo- 
cate him,  or  an  apoplectic  stroke  carries  him  off,  or  some  other 
dangerous  or  unbearable  disease  takes  the  place  of  the  former  ail- 
ment. Therefore  the  homoeopathic  remedy  given  internally  must 
never  be  rubbed  in  on  parts  which  suffer  from  external  ailments. 


268  Hahnemann's  chronic  diseases. 

let  or  pellets  of  the  medicine  have  been  placed.  This 
vial  is  stoppered  and  shaken  until  the  medicine  is  dis- 
solved. From  this  solution  one,  two,  three  or  several 
drops,  according  to  the  irritability  and  the  vital  force 
of  the  patient,  are  dropped  into  a  cup,  containing  a 
spoonful  of  water  ;  this  is  then  well  stirred  and  given 
to  the  patient,  and  where  more  especial  care  is  neces- 
sary, only  the  half  of  it  may  be  given  ;  half  a  spoonful 
of  this  mixture  may  also  well  be  used  for  the  above- 
mentioned  external  rubbing. 

On  days,  when  only  the  latter  is  administered,  as 
also  when  it  is  taken  internally,  the  little  vial  contain- 
ing the  drops  must  every  time  be  briskly  shaken  five 
or  six  times  ;  so  also  the  drop  or  drops  of  medicine 
with  the  tablespoonful  of  water  must  be  well  stirred  in 
the  cup. 

It  would  be  still  better  if  instead  of  the  cup  a  vial 
should  be  used,  into  which  a  tablespoonful  of  water  is 
put,  which  can  then  be  shaken  five  or  six  times  and 
then  wholly  or  half  emptied  for  a  dose. 

Frequently  it  is  useful  in  treating  chronic  diseases 
to  take  the  medicine,  or  to  rub  it  in  in  the  evening, 
shortly  before  going  to  sleep,  because  we  have  then 
less  disturbance  to  fear  from  without,  than  when  it  is 
done  earlier. 

When  I  was  still  giving  the  medicines  in  undivided 
portions,  each  with  some  water  at  a  time,  I  often  found 
that  the  potentizing  in  the  attenuating  glasses  effected 
by  ten  shakes  was  too  strong  (/.  e.,  the  medicinal 
action  too  strongly  developed)  and  I,  therefore,  ad- 
vised only  two  succussions.  But  during  the  last  years, 
since  I  have  been  giving  every  dose  of  medicine  in  an 


Hahnemann's  chronic  diseasp:s.  269 

incorruptible  solution,  divided  over  fifteen,  twenty  or 
thirt}'  days  and  even  more,  no  potentizing  in  an  atten- 
uating vial  is  found  too  strong,  and  I  again  use  ten 
strokes  with  each.  So  I  herewith  take  back  what  I 
wrote  on  this  subject  three  years  ago  in  the  first  vol- 
ume of  this  book  on  page  254. 

In  cases  where  a  great  irritability  of  the  patient  is 
combined  with  extreme  debility,  and  the  medicine  can 
only  be  administered  by  allowing  the  patient  to  smell 
a  few  small  pellets  contained  in  a  vial,  when  the  medi- 
cine is  to  be  used  for  several  days,  I  allow  the  patient 
to  smell  daily  of  a  different  vial,  containing  the  same 
medicine,  indeed,  but  every  time  of  a  lower  potency, 
once  or  twice  with  each  nostril  according  as  I  wish 
him  to  be  affected  more  or  less. 


^^ 


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Hahneiimnzi ,  Samuel 

The  chronic  disecises ,  • . . 


^>.      3  1970  66873 '1O82'    ^i^. 


MEDICAL  SCIENCES  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA.  IRVINE 

IRVINE,  CALIFORNIA  92664 


